Crave You
by SweetSouthernSass
Summary: Annabelle Carnevare is making big changes in her life, and that includes moving to the little town of Bon Temps to live with her fellow telepath cousin and her Gran. What she doesn't account for is the gruesome murders of girls who don't mind vampires, in more way than one. On a mission to find the truth she meets a tall, blonde vampire who changes her world entirely. OCxEric
1. Chapter One

**Author's Note:** So first True Blood story ever(:  
This will be slight AU and normal canon scenes of the episodes may change a little because I'm adding my character in the mix, but I'll still keep it pretty close to the real deal when my character is interacting with main characters. I'm a total Eric girl, so I choose to IGNORE the way season six ended. If they kill him, that show will die. Hmph.

Happy Reading!

**Disclaimer: I do NOT own True Blood (sad day), its characters, or any other copyrighted/trademarked material that may be mentioned in this story. I DO own my original character, Annabelle Carnevare, and those OC's of her family members.**

* * *

"Annabelle Lee! You get your ass down here right now! You're totally late for breakfast!"

I groaned, literally groaned, when my older cousin's voice cut through my wonderful dream-filled sleep. I rolled over gingerly and checked the time on my iPhone. Was this chick insane? Seriously? It was like, eight in the morning on a Saturday.

I rolled back over and snuggled back into the warmth of my comforter. Screw that crap.

"Your food is getting cold! Annabelle!" she screeched.

Screeched I tell you.

I glared, sitting up straight before tumbling out of my bed and into the hallway at the top of the stairs.

"Yes _mother_!" I snarled good-naturedly.

I looked down at my tank top and boyshorts attire. She would just have to deal, after all, she's the one that woke me up early. I trudged my way downstairs and nudged Sookie playfully before kissing Gran's cheek and sitting down at the table.

This was my second morning in the Stackhouse household, and I was getting along quite happily. It was a huge change from the city lights of NYC, but I had quickly become accustomed to the stars in place of the giant screens and bright lights. I'd driven down to Bon Temps, Louisiana two days prior, a moving van following me with all of my stuff, and moved into my grandmother's house to live with her and my cousin.

The details are long and gory as to why, so I'll just give you the short version. My mother, Scarlett Carnevare previously Scarlett Stackhouse, had met and married my father Antonio Donatello Carnevare, the man who had swept her off her feet, and moved to New York City to live with him. They had me and raised me there, though I had made quite a few trips down to the little Louisiana town to visit my grandparents and cousins before.

The beginning of my senior year of high school, my mother was killed.

It hadn't been an accident. A warring mafia family had taken a shot, and it proved to be a deadly one; for them more than us. Our family only lost my mother, but theirs lost multiple members after the hit. My father had been fueled by rage, and didn't stop until the rival family had been made an example of.

For five months after her death I grieved the loss of both of my parents. Before the shooting, our lives had been perfect in my own mind. We wanted for nothing, had a good family dynamic (I mean, we're Italians…duh) and loved each other. After the shooting, my mother was gone, and the man that replaced the father I once had frightened me more than I care to admit.

I became depressed, introverted. I was an all-around social butterfly, on the dance team and cheer squad, dated a football player, had excellent grades, and a plan to move away to college in the coming fall; but after the shooting I just…didn't care. I stayed home, my grades dropped, my friends stopped calling and my father was too consumed with his vendetta to notice.

So I called my grandmother after some urging from a therapist and asked about the possibility of moving into her home and living there with her. She was thrilled, as was my cousin, and I made a plan. As soon as my eighteenth birthday hit, I was going to ask my father for his blessing to leave and move down south with them.

At first he had protested, but he knew it was for the best.

There were too many ugly memories in NYC for me to stay, and he still wasn't attainable as a parent. Though he had demonstrated his wrath for all the crime families to see, he remained a hollow shell of who he used to be after the loss of my mother. I had tried, repeatedly, to bring him out of the stupor he seemed to be caught in the riptide of.

But it just hadn't worked.

So I contacted movers, had my things packed up, set up an account plan with my father and promised to visit soon before taking off.

The drive had been the killer of the trip. Twenty-two hours of driving was a small form of hell if you asked me. But it had been worth it. Gran and Sookie were so happy to see me and we all squealed as they embraced me before we turned to the task of making all of my crap fit in the house. Currently the back den and my bedroom were piled high with boxes, but I was going to get there.

Settling into a new life would take time.

And I had plenty.

* * *

I snapped out of my thoughts and grinned as Sookie placed a plate of delicious breakfast foods in front of me. My cousin, with her long blonde hair and innocent wide eyes reminded me so much of my mother and in the few days that I had been here, she had taken it upon herself to almost become one. Well, maybe not a mother, but definitely an older sister.

I cherished it because I missed having a big family around.

"_Thanks Sook,"_ I thought, didn't say.

"_No problem darlin'"_ she sent the thought back to me.

Yeah I forgot to mention that part. Sookie and I are both telepaths, possibly among other things. I knew that she could hear thoughts but I didn't know if she could do other things…like me.

That's where I definitely did have the upper hand over my older kin. She had grown up in a tiny town where everyone knew everyone else and people talked. People talked in New York too, but there was so much going on, few rarely heard and even fewer believed. Being from a big city, I had the advantage of fitting in more with my gift than Sookie had.

I dug into the delicious home-cooked southern food and moaned in appreciation. God it was good. Not Italian, but still exquisite.

"Enjoying yourself?" My grandmother grinned, watching me from her perch next to me.

I nodded happily, not wanting to speak with food in my mouth. She smiled and kissed the top of my head as she made her way out the backdoor and toward the garden, no doubt to weed around the home-grown veggies and herbs.

I looked over my fork at Sookie with a smirk and raised a perfectly arched eyebrow.

"What?" she asked incredulously as she ate.

"Really? You're going to pull that act? Tell me about the new _boytoy_!" I begged her, pouting.

"I don't know what you're talking about," she said, a blush coloring her cheeks.

I scoffed. She feigned innocence, I wasn't biting.

"Oh _please_ Sook, we both read minds, do you really think I haven't caught wayward thoughts about the lovely vampire next-door?" I hissed quietly.

Her blush spread and she waved her hand dismissively, set on changing the topic. I sighed and let her, I wasn't going to push her. I was still new into this family dynamic and I wasn't going to upset the balance by being too nosey.

We talked about going into Shreveport for a day at the mall. I was seriously in need of some retail therapy and I wanted to treat her for being so welcoming and just generally awesome about me moving in. Having someone younger than you move into your normal routine and space could be a pain, especially when there were boxes to trip over, and she was handling it like a pro.

I got up to clean our dishes off in the sink when Sookie got a phone call from a Sam.

"Sam, Sam…who-" I snapped my fingers as I hummed, "her boss!"

Sookie had given me the low down on most of the people I'd probably be meeting and running into around town. The list was tremendously long, but it made me grin. I turned as Sookie came back into the kitchen, partially stomping. I smirked and waited for an explanation.

"I have to go wake up Dawn, she's my coworker. Want to come with?" she huffed out, a smile soon replacing her annoyed expression at my eager nodding.

"Definitely, just let me go change." I called as I ran up the stiars and tore through my new room, searching for something semi-presentable. But Sookie was just in shorts and a tank so I'd feel stupid dressing up any. I settled on some old volleyball spandex shorts and a neon pink tank before grabbing my brush, running it through my long golden-light brown hair. Grabbing my Ray Bans off the dresser and my purse, I skipped downstairs and out the door.

She was standing by her car and I grinned.

"Uh, want to take mine?" I questioned timidly.

Hers didn't even look like it had air conditioning, much less like it would make it down the road. She grimaced and nodded, following me past her little yellow car toward my black Camaro that sat beside it.

We both slid in after calling goodbye to Gran and I cranked the AC, pointing toward the panel so she could pick a radio station. I squealed when an Easton Corbin song that I loved came on and cranked the volume, singing out loud as she grinned and watched me.

I nudged her and before long she was singing with me.

After fifteen minutes or so I pulled up in front of some cute duplex homes and I got out, following Sookie up the front walk of one of them.

"Dawn works at Merlotte's with me. She used to date Jason," Sookie said over her shoulder, giving me some background.

"Where is that jerk anyway? I still haven't gotten to say hi to him yet." I pouted.

Jason was basically my favorite boy relative of all time. The kid had been a football pro in high school and I was completely addicted to football. Not to mention he was a riot and a ton of fun to hang out with. Even though he's my cousin, I'll admit he's also total eye candy.

I waited behind Sookie as she knocked a few times, calling out the girl's name. There was no response and I cut my eyes to my cousin warily. Coming from a big city and a crime family, no answer when you're supposed to be home isn't typically a good sign, but we were in a small town so the general rules were different...or so I thought.

"Honey you overslept!" Sookie called through the door, opening the screen one that was hinged in front of it.

"Why don't you try the knob?" I asked quietly after Sookie knocked a few more times.

When she grabbed it and was able to push the door open, an uneasy feeling settled in my stomach. This couldn't end well, I just _knew_ it. Sookie crossed over the threshold, motioning me to follow her. Even though my body was screaming for me not to go in, I did.

"Dawn? Are you here?" Sookie called cautiously.

I turned my head when I picked up on a faint beeping sound, like an alarm clock constantly going off. I pointed toward the noise after silently nudging Sookie with my hip. We walked slowly toward the back of the duplex toward what was undoubtedly the bedroom.

My heart literally stopped beating when I slammed into Sookie's back. She had stopped right in front of me with zero warning.

"Sook what the-" I trailed off, a gasp replacing my words when my eyes took in the room in front of us.

Stuff was thrown everywhere, there had obviously been a struggle or something because the room was positively wrecked. Right on the bed lay a girl, pale and not moving.

Dead.

_Dead_, dead.

I looked at Sookie then back at the dead girl in front of me.

And we screamed.


	2. Chapter Two

**Author's Note:** Thanks for all the views and the follows&favorites guys! It's so cool that the one chapter already got so many views! I'm going to update with a few chapters tonight I think!

Happy Reading!

**Disclaimer: I do NOT own True Blood (sad day), its characters, or any other copyrighted/trademarked material that may be mentioned in this story. I DO own my original character, Annabelle Carnevare, and those OC's of her family members.**

* * *

We screamed and kept screaming for a few moments before I covered my mouth with my hand and backed up from the bed toward the door. I moved my eyes from the body, refusing to look. This wasn't supposed to happen here, I left New York to get away from this kind of thing, not so that I could walk right into it.

"Oh _sweetie_, what did you get yourself into?" Sookie murmured to the dead girl.

The sound of shattering glass made me jump at least a foot in the air, wincing as the small shards cut into the back of my legs some. I let out another small scream, whipping around to face whoever the hell it was with my fists raised.

Jason stood there, open-mouthed.

"_Holy freaking hell_ Jason! You scared the shit out of me!" I yelled, glaring at him with my hands on my hips.

"Oh my god _Jason_," Sookie murmured, moving toward him quickly.

He reached out his arms and I'm ashamed to say I almost felt left out, but his right hand snagged the back of my tank top and drug me to him, pressing my face into his chest so I wouldn't have to see. Sookie and I stood there burrowing into him to keep the gruesome scene from our eyes.

I was so flooded with adrenaline that I didn't even hear the jumbled amount of thoughts coming from him. I just relaxed into his strong and protective hold.

"It's okay," he murmured, stroking our hair.

Sookie whipped back dramatically, "Like hell it is! _Look_ at her she is definitely not okay!"

She started beating at his chest frantically and I whimpered, keeping myself plastered to his side regardless. Memories of bloody tiles flashed through my mind and I squeezed my eyes shut to keep them away.

It didn't work.

"Well hittin' on me ain't gonna change anything none!" Jason shouted and soothed at the same time, still holding onto me, "Plus you're scaring the shit outta Belle!"

They both turned to me, Sookie squeezing my other side in a hug while Jason kept his brotherly hold on me. They were both whispering that it was okay as I looked around franticly, desperate to make the memories flashing through my mind disappear. Suddenly another shrill voice interrupted us and I jumped again. God her voice was annoying, the one out loud and in her head.

She was going on about Jason being responsible and I got a quick flash of thoughts from him as he stroked my back. He had been here the night before, they had fought over some kinky sex shit and the girl had been pissed. She took a gun out and shot at him but he made it out, slightly pant-less, and left. There was nothing of him coming back though, not until this morning with the makeup flowers.

I turned, glaring at her but staying close to my favorite cousin.

"Yeah! We had a _fight_," he admitted, "but I came here to apologize!" he shouted brokenly.

"She fired a gun at you and you came back to apologize!?" Sookie asked incredulously.

I had to side with her on that one, that was just plain crazy. Psycho girl shoots at you for no good reason and you come back with flowers? That shit isn't going to protect you.

"Sook! Belle! I didn't do this! You _gotta_ believe me!" Jason said, hurt coloring his tone.

The other lady, with the still annoying voice good god it was like nails on a chalkboard, shouted about calling the police and stormed out, freaky robe and all.

"_God_ she's a bitch," I murmured, earning a small smile from Jason before he tossed the flowers angrily and left, sinking to his ass on the front steps.

I turned my eyes to Sookie and saw wariness on her face. Something else must have happened that she hadn't told me about for her to doubt her own brother. I grabbed her hand and squeezed before whispering.

"It _wasn't_ him Sook, I got memory flashes. When he left last night she was alive." I whispered before leaving the room and going out to the porch steps myself, sinking down next to Jason.

I grabbed his left hand in my right one and squeezed, trying to comfort him as much as I could. But he just ended up pulling me into his side, his arm wrapped protectively around my shoulder. I sighed quietly and murmured into his chest.

"I believe you."

He looked down at me, smiling sadly, "Thanks Belle."

I loved the nickname he'd given my back when I was around ten or so. He had started calling me Belle in place of Annabelle and it caught like wildfire. Soon everyone used it when they wanted my attention. I felt him suck in a shuddering breath next to me before blowing it out harshly.

"Well, welcome to Bon Temps."

I snorted quietly, welcome indeed.

* * *

I leaned against Donatello, _yes_ my car has a name and _yes_ it's named after my father, watching the spectacle unfold around me. Bon Temps was definitely a nosey town. I could easily see how hard it had been for Sookie to grow up being gifted in this place. It wasn't like New York where people held a little interest but kept moving on with their daily lives. _Oh no_, these people stopped everything to stand by and watch.

The red-head chick across the street had literally brought out iced tea and doilies for people.

No joke.

I twirled a lock of hair around my finger, opening my mind to what was going on around me. People's thoughts were all over the place, jumping from how sad they were that Dawn had died, to nasty perverts wondering how she had died and about her body.

My lip curled in disgust as I dropped my Ray Bans down on the bridge of my nose, shielding my eyes from the sun and prying eyes.

_"Who in the hell is she?"_

I caught a particularly catty thought directed my way and looked up to find the red-head staring at me. My lip curled up again, but this time a smirk played on my full and naturally pouty pink lips. The men standing next to her were cute, especially the taller brunette one, although the lady that came hurrying up to them looking for gossip turned out to be his mother.

That wasn't so cute.

"Sookie and Jason Stackhouse, and some other girl." I watched and listened as the red-head gestured toward me and then my cousins who were still in the house behind me.

"It sounds like the girls found the body, but the police think _Jason_ might have done it!" She said excitedly.

I glared at her giddy form and I swear I snarled. Like an actual full-out predator snarl. How dare she talk about Jason like that! Even the cuter brunette saying it wasn't him wasn't enough to calm me back down.

"I'll tell you one thing, it's way too small a town to be losing girls one after the other like this. Whoever they is, I hope they fry the fuck."

I couldn't help the giggle that passed my lips as I shook my head.

"Rene'!" the red-head screeched.

After Rene's comment, I noticed that the group of people standing across the street from me directed their thoughts towards me. Everyone was wondering who I was and why I was on the other side of the ugly yellow tape. I sighed and growled in frustration, holding my hair up off my hot neck and patting Donatello as I walked back towards the house looking for Jason or Sookie.

I stepped into the living room and lifted my hand slightly as all eyes turned to me. I sat beside Jason again, holding out my hand for his on my thigh if he needed it. He took it immediately and I felt the wave of worry and fear wash over me. He knew this looked bad and he was scared shitless about what might happen next.

I wanted to tell him it would be okay but I didn't for two reasons. One, Sook had told me how he hated the mind reading stuff so I didn't want to seem like I was sifting through his thoughts and two, I didn't know that it actually would.

I watched as Sookie gave her interview a few feet away. The guy taking it was kind of a jerk in a sweet way if that even makes sense, but the guy at the back with that awful woman was a class-A dick. My eyes widened as I watched Sookie, she was totally zoning out, letting the thoughts take over her.

_"Sookie! Pay attention to the man!"_ I shrilled, directing the thoughts right at her.

She sat up straight like she'd been zapped and nodded her head toward me some in appreciation. I watched as Jason's eyes darted between us and when he looked at me I just shrugged. There was a commotion outside between the red-head from earlier and the Rene' guy about the damn paper doilies again, but the tall brunette's thoughts were still on me, wondering who the new girl was.

I grinned slightly, but wiped it off quickly, not wanting the police to judge.

The dick of a cop approached Jason and I so I tensed, already able to tell what was coming. My anger rolled through me and I stood in front of my cousin protectively, shaking my head.

"Are you _kidding_ me? You've got crackpot evidence at best and you're going to _arrest_ him?" I spoke, my voice rising shrilly. "What the _hell_ kind of protocol is this, the boondock system?"

I felt hands tighten on my hips, hugging me from behind as Jason stood and tried to quiet me. "Shh Belle, shh. Insulting them won't do me no good. Try and relax," he murmured quietly.

The detective in front of me was trying to make a point as he glared down at me and I glared right back up at him. My voice dropped to an icy and menacing tone before I spoke, my finger pointing right at his chest.

"You better hope you do this right or I'll have your badge to add to my collection. The family I come from has _fantastic_ lawyers and you can bet your ass I'm calling them ASAP." I whirled around and pointed at Jason, "Don't you dare say one god damn word Jason Stackhouse, not _one_ word to these people!"

I fought as Sookie tried to pull me away from my cousin at first but I ended up letting her, knowing that making a big deal wouldn't help anything. I couldn't help Jason from inside my own jail cell.

We stood on the porch watching as they led him out and I shouted in outrage when the detective hit him on the squad car while putting him in. You could bet they'd pay for that. I tugged on my hair nervously watching Jason and then Sookie when I felt her mind go completely blank next to me. I wrapped my arm around her waist and she leaned her head down on my shoulder, heaving a sigh.

I glared from behind my Ray Bans at the huge crowd that had assembled. That one guy's mother was actually putting sun block on him. His cuteness decreased even further, and quickly.

"What do they think this is, a freaking carnival?!" I growled out.

I sunk down on the porch steps with Sookie, running my fingers through my hair completely exasperated. The heat was making my normally bouncy and volumized hair flat, and I was sweaty. It was pissing me off, I was sure I'd run into someone I wanted to look cute in front of just because I was in such a state of undress.

I leaned my head back some, sunbathing a little when I felt someone approach us. I had been waiting because I knew Sookie wasn't ready to move quite yet, but now we had someone else to deal with. I slowly opened my eyes, still covered by my sunglasses, looking up into the ruggedly handsome aviator-covered face of a man. He was looking down at Sookie, his eyes darting to me questioningly.

"I came as soon as I heard," he murmured quietly, sitting down on the step in front of us and turning to Sookie.

I cocked my head to the side in curiosity.

"I'm sorry you had to be the one to find her," he continued, nudging her leg some.

I glanced between them, my eyes widening. He liked her! Like, _liked_ her liked her!

"It's alright. Somebody had to do it, right? Besides I wasn't alone, I had Belle with me." She spoke, rationality coloring her tone.

I wiggled my fingers at the new guy, holding out my hand to shake his.

"Hi, I'm Annabelle Carnevare. I'm Sook's younger cousin." I murmured, shaking his hand. A slow light seemed to dawn in his eyes and he smiled some as he nodded to me.

"Sam Merlotte," he smiled, shaking mine back.

I leaned back against the railing, continuing my sunbathing as the two talked. I could tell that he was totally into her, and she was totally oblivious. After a few minutes, one of the officers stole Sam away needing his help, apparently he was the landlord of the properties. I was finally getting Sookie to get up so we could go home when the coroner and his kid assistant took the body out.

It took all I had not to throw up right there.

Sookie and I moved toward Donatello as we watched them roughly handle Dawn's body into the van. I turned away and slid into the front seat of my all black Camaro, much to the annoyance of the red-head across the road; while the guys became increasingly more intrigued. I guess most girls around this town weren't into cars like mine.

When Sook slid in I wasted absolutely zero time pressing down on the gas pedal, despite the cops left around the scene.

I wanted to get home.


	3. Chapter Three

**Author's Note:** I like this chapter because it gives you an insight into Annabelle's protectiveness over her family members and what not! Plus you get to see how she uses her telepathy! Fun(:  
Happy Reading!

**Disclaimer: I do NOT own True Blood (sad day), its characters, or any other copyrighted/trademarked material that may be mentioned in this story. I DO own my original character, Annabelle Carnevare, and those OC's of her family members.**

* * *

I parked Donatello next to Sookie's car and sat back, sighing. We hadn't spoken a word the entire drive, but we didn't really need to. Both being able to read minds, we each knew how the other felt.

It was interesting to be in the company of someone else with my "little gift" as Gran and my mother had called it. Our thoughts passed easily between the two of us, like a steady flow. It was a conversation without words in its own way.

Comforting.

As if on cue, we both moved to get out of the car, trudging up the steps to the old farm-house and through the door in search of our grandmother. It didn't take long to find her, she came toward us as well.

"Hey Gran," Sookie and I murmured simultaneously.

She looked up at us from where she stood with a pained expression, "I heard."

My eyebrows rose, news travelled fast in this town.

"About Jason too?" I asked quietly.

She nodded, pained, before going on, "He _didn't_ do it you know!"

I nodded vigorously while Sookie looked a little unsure. I seriously didn't get what the deal was with that. Something had to have happened that I didn't know about.

"Jason may be many things but he is _not_ a murderer," Gran said as I walked to the fridge and popped it open in search of something to drink. The heat down here was positively sweltering and it was going to take some serious adjusting for my hair.

I zoned out for a moment as I drank, barely listening to what Gran was saying but I quickly came back to earth when she mentioned us.

"They're going to find Jason, he needs your help. _Both_ of your help!"

Sookie looked flabbergasted and I mentally rolled my eyes. She might be older but sometimes she just didn't catch onto things very quickly.

"Use the gifts God gave you, both of you! Listen in on people, keep your ears open, you're bound to hear _something_." Gran spoke quietly.

I nodded to myself, standing away from the counter I had been leaning on.

"It's got nothing to do with my ears," Sookie continued.

"Whatever it is you use to listen, use it. He is your brother Sookie and your cousin Annabelle."

I squeezed Sookie's hand in mine and nodded to her reassuringly. We could do this. She may be a little rusty on her control because she didn't use hers the same ways I had learned to use mine, but I could help her. I could teach her.

And we could get Jason out of trouble in the process, because _lord knows_, the boy has a knack for getting into it.

"Good girls," Gran said, bringing both of us into her arms for a hug.

I followed Sookie up the stairs and stopped her before she slipped into her room.

"Hey, you're going into work right Sook? Do you want me to meet you there later? Maybe listen in some?"

She rubbed her face and forehead looking tired and I realized I was actually taller than her. Only by a few inches, but still a little taller. I smiled softly, waiting for her to answer.

"Yeah Belle, that'd be great. I just feel so wary about doing this, people…people in this town _already_ think I'm such a freak," she trailed off quietly.

I placed my hands on her shoulders, squeezing some.

"We _can_ do this," I murmured reassuringly, "the two of us put together are unstoppable."

She gave me a small smile and I nudged her into her room before finally getting to disappear into mine, shutting the door behind me. I stared around at the mess of boxes and partially unpacked things, contemplating what I should do for the next little bit.

I decided that if I was going to go to the bar where Sookie worked, I was going to go all out. Attention would turn toward me and off Sookie so she didn't feel so much pressure, plus it would be obvious I was related to her and that would get people wondering about the Stackhouses, and maybe I'd get a lead on Jason.

I grinned and winked to myself in the mirror before setting off to find the perfect dress in the wall-long closest that was already packed with my clothes.

I'd make tonight fun, well, as fun as it could be sifting through people's minds for a murderer at least.

* * *

When I got to Merlotte's a few hours later, I parked Donatello at the side and closed my eyes letting the thoughts wash through me. As I suspected, they were particularly nasty…of epic proportions. Sookie wouldn't be doing well, I could almost feel her wanting to scream from outside where I sat.

"That Dawn sure left us high and dry didn't she," I grimaced, picking up on the sound of the red-head I'd seen previously in the day.

"It's not like she _meant_ to," Sookie said incredulously.

"Well if she hadn't spent all the time in that _vamp bar_ down in Shreveport," the red-head accused.

I huffed and got out, locking Donatello as I walked. The lady way pissing Sookie off immeasurably and she had absolutely no clue. I don't think I'd ever met someone so…icky. I slid in the bar, but the two women were too engaged in their argument to hear the general conversation noise level increase at my entrance.

I'd dressed to kill but in a soft and sweet way, the pink and white chevron dress hit me about mid-thigh and was sleeveless. I'd paired it with high wedges that were peek-a-boo toed with a pink bow across the top. Basically, I looked like a preppy version of cotton candy.

Everyone stopped, looked, then continued their conversations.

Thoughts about me struck me instantly but I deflected them easily and headed toward Sookie and the red-head she was about to claw the eyes out of. I laid my hand on Sookie's arm, sending her a wayward thought of calm though my lip instinctually curled in a sneer when I faced the red-head.

"_Back_ off," I murmured, my eyes narrowing.

I tugged on Sookie's arm some, pulling her away from the confrontation. It wouldn't help us to find out about Jason if she got in a screaming match, or got her own ass slammed in jail.

"I'm_ taking_ your ranch!" Sookie screeched, grabbing the other girls ranch dressing and storming off. I grinned as I watched the scene before turning back to the red-head who looked me up and down. I rolled my eyes annoyed and moved down the bar, stopping to watch a strange exchange between Sam and the girl behind the bar. I froze when I heard Jason's name come up.

"I'm telling people I spent the night with Jason." The girl said quietly.

"Jason_ Stackhouse_?" Same questioned, surprised.

"Yes, I was with Jason Stackhouse last night and if you say different they gonna haul both our asses into jail." The girl continued, crossing her arms.

My eyebrows rose as I stared at her. She looked familiar but I couldn't seem to place her or figure out why. Distant memories were pulling at my senses but I waved them away quickly, trying to concentrate. This girl was covering for Jason, and I had no idea why.

"You lied to the police for him?! _Shit_ Tara!" Sam cursed.

Tara….Tara?! She was Sookie's best friend back when I used to come visit. I sat up straighter, a grin spreading across my lips as I stood. I didn't know if I should say something, if she'd remember me, so I was caught between standing and sitting awkwardly.

"There's more to Jason than meets the eye, deep down…Belle? Annabelle is that _you_?" Tara exclaimed, her voice rising.

I grinned devilishly and winked, rushing around the bar to give her a hug. She was stiff and I could tell she wasn't used to contact but I did it anyway. Plus, everyone in the bar was watching again.

"Oh my god Tara, it's so good to see you!" I gushed excitedly.

"Jesus you've grown up looking good, _damn_ good! Shit girl!" She continued with her higher voice and I blushed nudging her with my hip and waving my hand in a "aw stop it" motion. We caught up some but soon Sam was looking at us pointedly so I left her to get back to work and Sookie pulled me to the back of the bar, depositing me in a booth.

"These thoughts are absolutely _disgusting_!" She near yelled.

I nodded sympathetically, but here wasn't the best place to start talking about how to help control things out loud. I listened in, the thoughts _were_ disgusting. Down right nasty. And then I caught the ones that were aimed at Jason in a derogatory way and it took all I had not to stand up and scream. As it was, I was pretty sure that I was making an indention in the table from grabbing it.

Suddenly sweet thoughts about Dawn filled my head and I looked up, catching Sook's eye as we sought out the owner. It was the tall, cute brunette from earlier that day. I smiled pleasantly, his thoughts were the only ones that didn't make me cringe.

_"That's Hoyt Fortenberry,"_ I heard in my head and smiled over at Sookie.

I waved her off to work her shift while I breathed in a sigh, letting the thoughts wash through me. I was drifting in and out, concentrating on listening to thoughts while playing it off by looking at my phone, checking Facebook and what not.

My eyes widened when I looked up to find Sookie confronting Jason.

He…he was out! He was here!

I rushed out of the booth, squealing his name and gaining everyone's attention again as I tackled him in a hug, wrapping my arms around his waist. He grabbed onto me and laughed, hugging me back before we turned back to Sookie.

"You _swear_?" Sookie asked gravely, and I looked back and forth between the two confused.

"The way your acting seems like you _want_ it to be me!" Jason hissed, his arm tightening around me.

"Wha-_what?!"_ I screeched and looked to Sookie incredulously.

"I'm sorry Gran asked us to listen in, see if we could clear your name and-" she trailed off as Jason cut her off, saying he needed to see Lafayette…yeah I have no clue who the hell that was, and walked off; leaving Sookie and I staring after him.


	4. Chapter Four

**Author's Note: **New chapter! Hope you all enjoy! (:

**Disclaimer: I do NOT own True Blood (sad day), its characters, or any other copyrighted/trademarked material that may be mentioned in this story. I DO own my original character, Annabelle Carnevare, and those OC's of her family members.**

* * *

I had been there for awhile, long enough that I had to put my guard up so that the thoughts stopped flowing through my brain because I was getting a killer headache. I was tired and had spent most of the night warding off stares and questioning glances; I was ready to go home.

But I didn't want to leave Sookie to fend for herself. If my head was hurting, I know hers had to be even worse. The only solid information I had picked up on was a vampire bar in Shreveport that Dawn had apparently gone to, Fang-somethingorother.

Suddenly there was this slight hum and it brought a smile to my face.

I knew what that meant; there was a vampire among us.

I'd met a good few in New York and I loved the silence they brought with them. I didn't have to worry about putting a guard up when one was around me.

I looked up to see a medium height, pale skinned handsome brunette walk in. Well, glide in is more like it. I admired their movements, they had a natural easy grace that took an amazing amount of practice hours in a dance studio for me to achieve.

The whole bar quieted and I looked around, confused. Why was everyone so silent? I forced myself to hear their inner thoughts, they were all blaming him, cursing him. I looked around in disgust, did these people seriously think that vampires were _that_ bad?

I grinned when I saw him staring a Sookie, her back was turned taking an order. My eyes cut to my cousin and I purposely sent a thought her way.

"_Sookieee, I do believe your handsome vampire has graced us with his presence_," I trilled happily, you could hear the giggle in my mental voice.

Her head snapped up, staring first at me then the vampire a few booths down. A blush spread across her skin and she sent me a You're-A-Pain-In-My-Ass look. I simply grinned cheekily, noticing how the vampire's eyes darted back and forth between my cousin and I so I turned and gave him a wink.

He stared, perplexed, but soon the red-head was approaching him and asking him what he wanted. Rudely, I might add. He tried making conversation with her but she cut him off, walking away as he spoke. It made me want to smack her, like for real. Sookie watched the exchange with a glare filling across her features.

"_She's lying isn't she? There's plenty of O-Negative_."

I hissed a thought her way and she nodded slightly in return. I watched as she walked purposefully toward the bar and Tara, who I was dismayed to see was just as judgmental, demanding the correct bottle of synthetic blood.

"This dumb bitch," I snarled, missing the sharp glance the vampire sent my way.

I watched her cut a glance my way and nodded my head in the direction of outside, silently suggesting she take him out of the bar filled with nosey people for any conversation that she wanted to have with him. I watched as they left, the vamp sending one more look my way as Sookie practically drug him outside, before turning to find the rest of the bar's patrons eyes on me. I shrugged and sipped my drink Sookie had snuck me before a hand closed on my wrist and yanked me their way, all the way to the back office.

I reached out and smacked the hand on my wrist before looking up into the eyes of Sam Merlotte, bar owner and Sookie crush holder. This couldn't be good.

"What in the actual _hell_ Sam!" I shrilled, glaring at him.

"You're encouraging her!" he shouted at me.

I covered my sensitive ears at the too loud noise. Jesus this guy could yell. He was going on and on about how Sookie wouldn't be safe, vampires weren't safe, this was a crazy idea, before I finally got up the nerve to yell back at him.

"Will you SHUT up!" I screeched loudly.

"_Sookie your boss has got me trapped in this back room yelling about you and your vamp! Get me the hell out of here!"_ I shouted at her mentally.

I cringed back against the wall, praying she'd come in quickly. The guy was starting on a rampage and I didn't think it would be ending anytime soon. If I didn't have a headache before, I definitely did now. Suddenly the door banged open, Sookie stood in the frame glaring at Sam.

"Just what in the hell do you think you're _doing_?" she shouted, successfully shutting up Sam who was across the room. I glared at him, my hands on my hips.

"Look Sam, we're leaving. I'm going to take the rest of the night off." She finished, holding her hand out to me.

"Why?!" Sam all but shouted…again.

I rounded on him, ready to yell plenty of reasons but Sookie's grip tightened on my hand and I shut up, letting her handle it.

"We're going to the vampire bar," I rolled my eyes (couldn't she have lied?!), "in Shreveport. There might be someone there who can clear Jason's name."

She stood strong and I straightened my back, matching her stance. This guy had no right to keep us from doing what we needed to do in order to clear Jason. He gripped the money he had been counting in his hand and tossed it down, positively growling. Something prickled at the edge of my senses, but I pushed it away, concentrating on the situation at hand.

"Aw _Jesus_ Sookie you're gonna get yourself KILLED! Or her!" he muttered, gesturing my way. and adding me in as an afterthought.

I snorted, my eyebrows raising.

"I'm from New York, trust me a little Shreveport vamp bar isn't going to be _that_ big of a deal," I muttered, rolling my eyes again, "meet me by Donatello when you're done here Sook."

I stormed out of the office, waving to Tara shortly and grabbing my purse on the way out.

My exit was just as noticeable and attention-grabbing as my entrance had been.

* * *

I waited for Sookie, looking around me to find that the vampire had left. I closed my eyes and searched with my mind, but wherever he was it was too far for me to tell. I was so submerged in my senses that I didn't notice Sookie's approach and I shrieked in fright when she laid a hand on my arm.

"Oh God, Oh Jesus, my poor heart," I moaned, doubling over and breathing heavily.

She laughed quietly and I shot her a pointed glare. Her laughing subsided but the smile stayed as she watched me.

"So _little_ cousin of mine, ready to show me your big city bar-hopping skills?" she asked.

The double meaning of the question didn't go unnoticed by me, she was asking me to go to the vampire bar with her and, if I was guessing correctly, with the vampire from before.

"Bill, his name is Bill Compton." She spoke quietly, a blush flooding her cheeks.

I grinned knowingly, she was totally crushing.

"Oh yeah, I'm ready. But we're going home to change. You _so_ aren't wearing that," I gestured toward her work outfit.

She rolled her eyes and grinned, sliding into the front seat of her car as I did the same in Donatello, throwing dirt as I sped out of the parking lot.


	5. Chapter Five

**Author's Note: **Update! This one has Annabelle's and Eric's first interactions! I also love it because you really get a sense of Belle's style. She has a certain amount of mafia family badass daughter mixed with cute and innocent girly girl. She's another character that needs a mixture of sweet and hardcore to combat Eric's personality. Hope you enjoy!

Happy Reading!

**Disclaimer: I do NOT own True Blood (sad day), its characters, or any other copyrighted/trademarked material that may be mentioned in this story. I DO own my original character, Annabelle Carnevare, and those OC's of her family members.**

* * *

I looked myself over in the mirror slowly.

I had fluffed my hair out, letting the tighter curls I'd had earlier that evening fall to soft waves that framed my face. I had quickly reapplied makeup, trading my just mascara and eyeliner look for the whole shebang, sweeping gold shadow across my lids. The mascara I chose lengthened my already extremely long lashes, turning them a seductively black color. I lined my eyes with the jet black stick, drawing the line up in the outer corner of my eye, making them look bigger and brighter.

My irises were set in an even more potent liquid gold hue because of the shadow I had applied, and my pink lips were glossed perfectly. The white dress that I wore was covered with sparkling rhinestones and crystals, and was open-backed; the cut dipping down all the way to the small of my back. The front was cut to show some cleavage, but not too much. Being a part of my family, we were taught to show off, but not in too slutty of a way.

I slid on the gorgeous three inch high gold sandals that were studded with stones and crystals, shining and sparkling to match my dress and drawing attention to my French pedicure. I stepped out of my room, grabbing my clutch purse, and moved down the stairs, my heels clicking as I went.

I walked onto the curving front porch, beating Sookie and looked out at the moon and stars; sighing quietly. Seeing the stars was a luxury that I wasn't used to, and I could watch them for hours.

I noticed the hum before he spoke, so I decided to play his game.

"Hello ," I murmured quietly, smiling as I turned.

He looked completely shocked, caught off guard. My grin broadened and I think he was going to say something, but Sookie stepped out smiling, completely innocent and adorable in her white dress that was decorated in…red florals.

I snorted aloud, clapping a hand over my mouth.

We had both unconsciously chosen white to wear, but where mine shimmered and sparkled, hers was covered with red patterns. Like blood on a canvas.

We would be turning heads tonight, I was sure of it.

"All set?" She asked me, and I nodded.

I noticed Bill stiffen some and got the feeling that he had wanted the drive to be him and Sookie only. I definitely didn't want to intrude so after some arguing between cousins and me proving to be slightly more stubborn than even Sookie could handle, I ended up following the couple in Donatello. At first I was disappointed, but I was also alright with it. I didn't want to be a third-wheel to the flirting, crushing couple. It would be extremely awkward. So I was happy to listen to my music floating through the stereo and enjoyed the relaxing feeling of driving.

* * *

When Bill slowed his car and pulled into a parking lot of a dark and dank looking bar with the red neon sign that flashed 'Fangtasia' I was thoroughly surprised. This _definitely_ wasn't anything like the bright and flashy vampire clubs I'd been to in New York. Those were all about dancing, drinks and fun; this one had an edge.

I parked Donatello a row and a few cars back from Bill's car. Sookie didn't look too happy about it but I shrugged innocently and hid my thoughts from her easily. She didn't seem to pick up on the fact that Bill was wary of me, and I was feeling slightly the same of him. Most vampires I'd met took a liking to my social attitude, but he was studying me and I didn't particularly care for it.

So it surprised me even more when he ghosted his hand at the small of my back like he did with Sookie. He was being protective of us both, watching the emo/punk and generally kind of creepy looking people around us closely. Sookie and I didn't fit in at all, me more so than her. This place was surrounded by rough-looking people and Sook and I looked like two innocent girls being herded by the brooding vampire between us.

We attracted quite a spectacle, and it wasn't just because of my flashy dress.

"Bill, haven't seen _you_ in awhile," I heard a sarcastic and scratchy voice speak to our right.

I looked over from his left side to see a tall and lanky middle-aged woman, scratch that- not woman but vamp, dressed to the nines in what was almost biker chick badassery. I kept my face blank but spoke to Sookie anyway.

"_Oh my god are you kidding me? Could she be any more cliché_?" I snipped.

"_God I know. I think she's going to check ID's. Oh god, Belle do you have one? Shit, shit, shit." _Sookie cursed and I saw the blank expression on her face begin to crumble.

"_Relax,"_ I soothed.

"I'm mainstreaming," I heard Bill say, while I began looking around, making my face semi-interested.

The vampire in front of us eyed Sookie and I with a smirk on her face and a raised brow. She didn't believe him for a second, I could tell.

"Good for you," she sneered, "who're these dolls?"

"Pam this is Sookie and Annabelle, girls this is Pam" Bill was quite the gentleman, introducing us both. I felt his weight shift toward Sookie in a protective stance and smiled, he really liked her.

"Pleased to meet you!" Sookie trilled, holding out her hand to shake.

I giggled quietly, shutting up when Sookie sent me a glare as Bill pulled her hand back while shaking his head and Pam sent a smirking glance my way. My dear cousin, the southern hospitality was born and bred into her genes. She didn't know that vamps?

Yeah, they don't shake.

I inclined my head some when I felt a piercing gaze land on me from the side. It seemed to intensify as we stood talking to Pam. I wanted to see who it belonged to, but I knew better than to seem disinterested in Pam's conversation. This chick had power.

"Can I see your ID?" Pam sniffed unpleasantly.

The stream of cussing from Sookie's brain almost made me laugh again as she handed it over. I knew that Sookie actually looked younger than I did at this point, she had the innocent doe-eyed look about her. I did too but it was hardened from being a Carnevare, and from my many clubbing excursions.

Sookie stumbled over her words as Pam looked over her ID before turning to me. A challenge reflected in her eyes and I returned her smirk with a sugary-sweet smile that meant the complete opposite of its appearance as I slowly palmed my fake out of my strapless bra.

Her eyes dilated in what I thought might actually be lust when I handed it to her, still warm from being against my skin.

I raised an eyebrow knowingly as she skimmed the details.

"_Carnevare_, hmm that sounds vaguely...familiar." She murmured, still watching me carefully as she handed it back.

I shrugged, not disrespectfully, but in a gesture that said I wouldn't be answering any questions. Her nod of approval was faint, but it was there.

"We must be careful, we serve no minors…in _any_ capacity." I grinned as Pam finished with us, waving us on, and winked at her.

She watched us leave.

Bill glared at me slightly but I ignored it, moving out of his grasp some. The gaze on me was sending shivers up my spine and I wanted to know who it belonged to. Sookie was making conversation with Bill but I was letting down my guard, the thoughts of everyone washing over me fluidly. I was looking for the one that was staring me down.

There were multiple thoughts about me, and even Sookie, in our flashy white dresses that contrasted so intensely with the bar scene but none of them belonged to the owner of the eyes on me. It was then that it hit me; a vampire was staring at me, not a human.

"Can I get you ladies something to drink?" Bill murmured near our ears.

I smiled, adding a super girly flash to it for whoever was looking at me and nodded. It felt like the gaze amped up, doubling in intensity as Bill got drinks for Sookie and I.

"_I haven't heard anything yet, have you?"_ I looked to Sookie, raising a brow.

She shook her head at me and I inwardly winced. There was no doubt that whoever was staring probably noticed the silent communication since she chose a physical response instead of a thought.

"How's it going Bill?" a masculine voice floated to me from behind the bar.

What the hell did Bill know _everyone_ in here? Like, seriously.

I ignored the response, only murmuring my drink order as my eyes darted around the room, searching me stalker out. Bill noticed the movement but turned back to aid Sookie in her interrogation about the girls from Bon Temps.

"This one, she wanted to die."

I froze. Well, if that didn't spell out strange I didn't know what would. I turned back to him, a questioning look on my face and I saw his eyes take me in for the first time, a serious expression on his face. His eyes dipped down to my neck and I raised a brow again.

"Everyone who comes in here wants to, in their own way. That's what we are, death." The man uttered.

I bit back the urge to respond, turning from the counter and rolling my eyes. Talk about a creepy conversation.

I took a sip of my drink as I closed my eyes, enjoying the feeling of the cool liquid running down my throat and tipped my head back, moaning in contentment. Bill who was still next to me stiffened again, turning to look at me.

It was risky to have my fair and pale skin of my throat exposed like it was and it caught many pairs of eyes. Little did I know, more than a few sets of fangs extended.

But that didn't capture my attention.

What _did_ was the wave of power coming from in front of me and a little to the left. I could feel it, welling up in…possessiveness almost. I turned my head, tilting it down and letting my hair fall back over my throat.

My eyes sought the owner of the power, and the intense gaze that was fixed on me, immediately. When I found him, I stilled, and my golden-colored irises met the most icy-blue eyes I had ever seen in my life.

"_Belle? Belle! Annabelle Lee Carnevare!"_ Sookie shrilled in my brain.

But I didn't pay attention, kept my eyes trained on his. He smirked, a devilish and gorgeous thing all at once.

Involuntarily my lips curled up in my own version of the same one, and I winked.


	6. Chapter Six

**Author's Note: **Hope you enjoy! Thank you to all who have read, followed and favorited! Happy Reading!

**Disclaimer: I do NOT own True Blood (sad day), its characters, or any other copyrighted/trademarked material that may be mentioned in this story. I DO own my original character, Annabelle Carnevare, and those OC's of her family members.**

* * *

Someone grabbed me roughly, hands were on my arms yanking me toward them, painfully I might add, and away from the owner of the ice-blue eyes I loved. My drink was stolen and I was being continuously dragged further away to some table. When I almost tripped on my heels, something I hadn't done since I was fifteen, I had finally had enough.

"_Ex-cuseee _me!" I snapped, planting my feet and refusing to move just a couple yards short from my captor's destination, "Just _what_ in the hell do you think you're doing?"

Sookie looked worriedly between Bill and I, my drink still in her hand.

"Why were you_ looking_ at him like that?!" Bill literally snarled at me.

My gaze swung to Sookie's incredulously. Was he serious? I've known him all of ten minutes and he's going all Daddy Compton on me?

I caught the faint giggle from Sookie's mouth and couldn't help but smile. She'd heard my comments.

"Try to remain calm Bill, I know what I'm doing" I murmured, taking my drink back from Sookie and sliding onto a stool at the table Bill had targeted, turning so that the blonde and blue-eyed gorgeous vampire could still see me.

Bill noticed.

"You have _no_ clue what you're doing," he uttered.

I waved my hand dismissively and went back to listening to thoughts, still keenly aware that I was being watched, as Bill and Sookie began talking.

The thoughts of a man slowly approaching my watcher's…well for lack of better words, throne- caught my attention. They were laced with desperation and acute sexual need. I watched him move toward the blonde man slowly, my eyebrows perfectly arched. As he approached, Blue Eyes never took his gaze off me, but I could tell he saw the other man as well.

"_Just offer yourself to him,"_ the man was thinking, inching closer.

A smirk played on my lips, interesting tactic. I'd personally never done so but hey, maybe it'd pay off for the guy. The man kneeled at Blue Eyes' feet, even though he never acknowledged him and only kept his stare level with mine. I refused to break eye contact, straightening my spine and returning his stare. I was barely aware of the conversation between my cousin and her new vampy friend.

"Who's _that_?" she was murmuring, and I silently thanked the gods for her question.

I'd never admit it, but I was dying to know.

"Oh you noticed him did you?" Bill answered her bitterly.

I inwardly rolled my eyes, touchy much?

"No it's not like that, I just- Belle is staring at him so hard…" she trailed off quietly.

I stiffened some and sent a thought her way.

"_Thanks for that Sook, your boyfriend already thinks I'm nuts."_ I thought snarkily.

"_Well, you're staring at that guy over there like he's a lifeline."_ She thought back shrilly.

"_Maybe he is."_ I quipped sarcastically, a smile playing over my lips.

"_And Bill is NOT my boyfriend,"_ she admonished.

I mentally snorted in return.

"Yes, well, _everyone_ does." Bill said darkly, "That's Eric, he's the oldest thing in this bar."

Mmm, Eric.

Yes I liked the sound and feel of that name on my tongue, very much so.

Eric's head whipped up like someone had called to him and my eyes widened some. No, no way. That _wasn't_ possible, I'd never been able to send a thought to a vampire ever before, even after all the practice my mother and I had done.

I winced inwardly as the memory flooded my mind and Sookie squeezed my thigh under the table. I was projecting then, dammit.

I turned and smiled at her thankfully, then my eyes darted back to Eric as a commotion erupted.

The man who had been approaching him finally got up the nerve to touch him and Eric had kicked him off his leg instantly, still training his eyes on me. I watched from the corner of my eye as the man landed, smashing a table, blood running from cuts on his face. Fangs extended all across the bar, followed by slight hisses. A woman approached him, helping him up, and disappeared with him. Eric's eyebrow rose, his head tilting some toward me and without thinking, I returned it.

"Still think you're in Disneyworld?" Bill questioned sarcastically through a smirk.

I rolled my eyes and finished my drink, looking at Sookie's shocked expression. I'd seen worse.

I transferred my attention back to the human bar patrons, trying to get a read off of anyone who may have seen Dawn, Maudette or Jason but it was no use. Every single thought was laced with lust, sex, need, and desire. These people knew nothing and the only ones who might, I couldn't read. Their brainwaves were replaced by the quiet hum that signified a vampire.

"_We aren't going to find anything here Sook,"_ I said mentally.

"_I know, I was hoping but-"_she trailed off sorrowfully.

I nodded absentmindedly, forgetting about sending thoughts instead of using body language.

"Are either of you able to pick up on anything?" Bill questioned us.

I looked to Sookie incredulously, my mouth slightly open, "You _told_ him?!" I said shrilly.

"Well, he already knew about me and he had his suspicions about you so I just, you know…he won't tell anyone" she finished guiltily.

Anger colored my cheeks and changed my features. I gripped my glass harder and glared at Bill then her before looking around the bar. I moved to get up, hurt and betrayal evident in my body language and my sudden coolness. How dare she just tell someone about me? Her secret, fine, that was her choice. But mine?

"That's it, I'm-" I started but was cut off by Bill's stiffening body language and his hand that flew out, snatching my wrist.

He looked nervous and my eyes flew around, landing on the blonde and the vampire leaning over him from earlier, Pam.

"Uh-oh," Bill muttered.

"Don't say uh-oh. Vampires are not supposed to say _uh-oh_," Sookie said, panicked.

"It's Eric, he's scanned you twice and he's been staring at Annabelle since we got in here. He's going to summon us," Bill said angrily, sending a pointed glare my way.

"Oh don't you blame this on me, if you're so bothered by him why didn't you-"

But I didn't finish because I had been looking at Eric as I was speaking and I saw as he lifted his hand and brought his fingers to him in a quick motion.

I ran my tongue over my bottom lip unconsciously.

We were summoned.


	7. Chapter Seven

**Author's Note**: Here's a chapter from Eric's point of view! I'm just trying it out, I'm not sure about it yet, but I think it might be great to have his thoughts about everything alongside Annabelle's. Let me know what you think! Happy Reading!

**Disclaimer: I do NOT own True Blood (sad day), its characters, or any other copyrighted/trademarked material that may be mentioned in this story. I DO own my original character, Annabelle Carnevare, and those OC's of her family members.**

* * *

The moment he felt the aura of power that was strong enough to rival his own approach his bar, Eric began searching the crowd.

He made no physical movement except for that of his eyes. Something was here, something other than vampire or just human and its pull was magnetic. As he continued to sweep the bar, waiting for his eyes to pinpoint the source of power, he noticed Pam talking to Bill Compton at the entrance.

Eric's upper lip immediately and involuntarily curled into a mix of a snarl and a sneer.

Compton was a pompous, holier-than-thou, royal pain in Eric's ass.

He had half a mind to throw him out but then his eyes settled on the two human girls he seemed to be claiming, his hands resting on the smalls of their backs. Eric snorted mentally but licked his lips at the sight of them. They were the complete opposite of what this bar attracted. Both dressed in different versions of white, one with blood-red patterns teasingly displayed across it and the other in one with sparkling crystals and stones from top to bottom, including her heels, seemingly giving her a radiant allure.

Eric stopped, his eyes narrowing.

It was her, the source of the power was _her_.

She was fiery, with a clear and confident attitude though Eric could still tell she was innocent, sweet, girly…and something else. He almost laughed aloud as she seemingly returned Pam's double meaning advances, and when she winked over her shoulder at his progeny, Eric couldn't help but let a smile ghost his lips.

She was on fire, positively radiated with the power that seemed to surround her.

Eric watched her the entire time she moved with Compton and he felt a surprise stab of jealousy, possessiveness. Which was entirely ridiculous, in all his thousand years he'd never laid his eyes on this girl, much less claimed her. But something about Compton's nearness to her was off-putting and had him on edge.

Until she displayed her obvious unease with him by stepping out of his grasp.

Eric couldn't help the smirk that graced his lips.

She _didn't_ belong to Compton, though the other might by their closeness.

Eric's gaze narrowed further as he noticed something that looked like it would've been a silent communication if the blonde hadn't displayed a quick shake of her head. The one with the power stiffened noticeably, well at least to Eric she did.

He didn't know what it was but the blonde had just given something away the lighter brunette hadn't wanted to.

He signaled to Pam, calling her over to him. As she approached, he stared at the girl, still tracking her movements and body language.

"_Yess_," Pam hissed sarcastically in a bored voice.

"The humans with Compton, who are they?" Eric asked, his voice deep in his chest.

Pam huffed and rolled her eyes, obviously bored but Eric silenced her with a look and she glanced back up at the ones in question.

"The blonde is named something peculiar, last name Stackhouse. She's ditzy as shit and doesn't know a damn thing about us that I can tell, tried to shake my hand," Pam said disgustedly.

Eric snorted and nodded, motioning for her to continue.

"The other was more interesting. She didn't fumble for words, was actually pretty quiet and even daring. Held out her ID right from her bra, the warmth was still in it," Pam said lustily and Eric glared at her.

She cleared her throat and continued.

"Annabelle was her first name. The interesting part was her last name, Carnevare. The mafia family from up in NYC, remember? She's a feisty one." Pam finished.

Eric nodded slightly, humming in response.

The girl was enjoying her drink, her head tipped back and Eric felt himself stiffen when her moan of happiness reached his ears. The sight of the pale, fair skin of her throat unknowingly bared did nothing to help the issue at hand.

He kept watching her and when she finally found him as the owner of the gaze on her and her eyes met his, Eric felt something like a zap on his senses.

"What the _fuck_," he muttered, his gaze narrowing.

She looked dazed, fixated on him. And despite the strange sensation previously, he was enjoying it.

What he did _not_ enjoy however, was Compton roughly pulling her away to a table once he noticed their staring war. He had to physically withhold a snarl, which was highly unlike him.

The girl and Bill were in a heated argument and it didn't take his extra sensitive ears to realize it was about him. He wasn't surprised that Compton was trying to talk her down from looking at him, the man hated Eric with a passion. They just didn't…see eye to eye. The blonde with them looked concerned but they finally settled at the table and the girl began gazing around the room until her eyes settled on him again.

He smirked.

A patron approached him, much to Eric's annoyance. But he was distracted when what seemed like a whisper reached him, though he couldn't tell if it was mental or actually whispered.

"_Mmm, Eric."_

He looked around for the source and his eyes landed back on hers again. Could it have been her whispering?

Her gaze was suddenly filled with pain and she looked away. Eric snarled inwardly and he didn't even bat an eye when he kicked the man who touched his leg to the side after the pathetic creature touched him.

He just kept his eyes on her.

She was surprisingly not all that affected by the violence and Eric's interest piqued more. He inclined his head slightly and she returned it.

A few moments later she broke contact and was looking around his bar like she was searching for something, though Eric didn't know what.

"Do you want to have them up here?" Pam asked, a bored expression coloring her tone.

Eric nodded, just in time to see the girl of his thoughts react to something in anger and she rose to leave.

"_Oh no no no_, not yet" he thought to himself, and flicked his fingers to Bill. The other vampire knew damn good and well what it meant and he would be wise to bring the girls with him.

Eric was in no mood to chase.


	8. Chapter Eight

**Author's Note:** Some action in this one, as well as Eric and Annabelle's first conversation. In case you're reading and can't pick it up, the story's scenes started at a time during the first season and fourth episode. Like I said, not everything is the same since I'm adding in an OC but hey, that's what a fanfic is! Happy Reading! (:

**Disclaimer: I do NOT own True Blood (sad day), its characters, or any other copyrighted/trademarked material that may be mentioned in this story. I DO own my original character, Annabelle Carnevare, and those OC's of her family members.**

* * *

I walked forward behind Sookie and Bill, nervousness clouding my senses for the first time that night. The way Eric's eyes had been on me when he summoned us, I felt this instinctual pull toward him. Like I'd go up without even asking why, like I needed to. I was stubborn, that wasn't my normal temperament.

I twirled a lock of hair on my finger and fluffed my hair some, an act that did not go unnoticed by my companions and that was a nervous tell of mine.

"_Belle, don't you even think about-"_ Sookie shot a thought my way.

"_Seriously Sookie? The guy probably doesn't want a damn thing to do with us, he's just curious. Besides, you could ask him about the girls."_ I cut her off quickly.

Bill moved me forward and I let him, his hand settling on the small of my back again while his other kept Sookie tight into his side. I walked steadily forward, keeping my eyes on the blue eyes that continuously stared into mine. Bill held his hands out to both Sookie and I, helping us onto the stage right in front of Eric.

I felt my confidence slip back into place and smirked as Eric's eyes travelled over my body from my eyes to my toes, taking in my outfit and heels, before he gazed at the vampire with Sookie and I.

"Bill Compton, it has been awhile." He murmured.

I hid the fact that his deep voice vibrating out from his chest sent a shiver down my spine but his eyes darted to mine and a smirk played on his lips like he knew. I arched my brows at his ancient sentence formation.

"Yes well, I've been-" Bill said uncertainly.

"_Mainstreaming_." Eric finished for him, sarcasm lacing his tone as he shook his head and wrinkled his nose, seeming to hold in a laugh, "I heard."

Eric seemed to almost snarl on the word and Pam's smirk fell on me; I returned it, sending another wink her way. I liked her; she had a certain Doesn't-Take-No-For-Shit kind of attitude. A much rougher version of me.

I noticed that Bill and Sookie were both nervous and almost glaring at the blonde vampire in front of us, but I couldn't seem to wipe the smiles and smirks from my face.

"_Annabelle what the hell are you doing?!"_ Sookie mentally said shrilly.

"_Sook, he's hot. I'm smiling at him. It's not against the law."_ I replied.

"_Bill said he's dangero-"_ she was cut off by Eric's voice.

"I see that is going, _well_ for you." Eric's eyes flitted to Sookie and then rested back on me.

"Yes, of course, sorry. Eric this is my friend Sookie Stackhouse and her cousin-" Bill's arm tightened around Sookie and his hand splayed on my bare back but I stepped forward a smidge out of his touch.

"Annabelle Carnevare." Eric finished for him, smirking some.

The blonde Viking-Warrior looking, hot as hell, made my spine tingle with his bright blue eyes, vampire knew my name. He knew…_my name_.

I contained my squeal…barely.

"How do you know my name?" I trilled lightly, noticing Bill's and subsequently Sookie's immediate tension.

"I never forget a pretty face. You're in my vault." Pam spoke for him, staring into my eyes. I let a small smile play on my lips for her before glancing back down at Eric.

"_Great Belle, just great"_ I heard Sookie's angry thoughts.

"Well I'm delighted to be _one_ among the masses," I remarked, a single brow arching perfectly. I was speaking to Pam, but staring at Eric.

We continued to stare at each other patiently, oblivious to Sookie, Bill and Pam's watching eyes. I felt the familiar tingle and heat start in my stomach and noticed a slight widening of Eric's eyes before I heard Sookie's voice cutting in.

"Well, it was nice to meet you," she trailed off quietly and Eric broke my gaze, turning to her.

"Well aren't you sweet." He said coldly.

"Not really." She quipped and I grinned, looking over to her. Bill sent me a sour look as he grabbed onto Sookie's hand, conveying that wasn't the thing to be saying at the moment.

He smirked, snorting almost, and turned his head to speak to Pam in a foreign language. I couldn't put my finger on what it was though I knew more than my fair share. It was definitely European, something old. At the sound of it the tingling in my body increased and I sucked in a small breath, causing his eyes to dart back to mine. He continued to look at me as he spoke;

"Miss. Stackhouse I understand you've been asking questions about some of my customers," he spoke fluidly, quickly.

I quickly let me mind wander as he addressed her, taking another sweep of the mental status of the room. There was something bothering me. Someone's thoughts didn't match the masses in the bar. They _didn't_ want to be here.

"Yes I have," I heard Sookie say as I turned my head slightly.

I knew I was breaking eye contact and I could feel his frustration because of it but there was something…something.

"_Sook, someone doesn't belong here"_ I thought to her quickly.

"_What-"_ she started but got cut off again by Eric speaking to her.

"If you have anything to ask, you should ask it of _me_," he said forcefully. He was annoyed with our snooping.

But I continued to ignore him, physically pulling myself out of Bill's grip and turning, targeting my thoughts on each customer and breaking into their mental rampages. Somehow I could feel his anger at my turning my back on him, my attention elsewhere as he spoke. And though Sookie was busy showing him the Bon Temps girls pictures and asking him the same questions, I could feel her sending me frantic spouts of curses. Bill was tense, glaring, and Pam was intrigued.

I ignored the slight pain in my stomach when I heard him say he had tasted Dawn. It bothered me immensely, though I wasn't going to try and figure out why, this wasn't the time. My eyes darted from customer to customer around the bar. The sense of something wrong, something about to go wrong, was making my heart beat faster in my chest.

Sookie said something to make Bill grab at her again, inwardly I grinned. She shared my feisty side at times. Bill began backing up and Sookie tried to end the conversation but Eric's voice broke into my frantic thoughts.

"I'm not finished with you yet. _Either_ of you," he muttered, his eyes on mine," please…sit."

Though the pressing need to find the cause of my tension and the snarling at the edges of my senses, I smiled and sat next to him without hesitation. I saw his eyes widen in surprise, like he thought I would've been scared but for whatever reason, I knew I'd be fine with him. Sookie was more nervous than I, sending glances my way as Bill barely held it together.

"So, Bill," Eric let out a breath, "are you quite attached to your friend?"

Bill stepped forward, snarling, "She is mine."

"Yes. I _am_ his." Sookie spoke strongly.

My eyebrows rose. I wasn't aware that Bill had already claimed my cousin. I had definitely missed some things before my arrival in Louisiana.

"_Thanks for not telling me Sook, jeez. Some girl talker you are,"_ I rolled my eyes inwardly.

"_It didn't come up! Besides, I don't really even know what it means_." She rolled her eyes back at me mentally.

Eric's quiet chuckling filled the area around us, distracting me from my mission again.

"Oh Compton, I didn't mean _that_ one," he chuckled, shaking his head at the vampire still standing in front of us," I meant _this_ one."

Eric's eyes turned to me, a devilish grin on his face as he took in my dress and crossed legs again. I waited for him to finish his assessment, ignoring the mental shouts from Sookie to say I belonged to Bill as well, and tilted my head to the side, baring my throat again.

"Yeah, no. I'm _definitely_ not his. Just met him today actually," I trilled airily.

Eric's eyes looked intrigued by my confidence and answer, and the blue of his irises seemed to darken as something that I think was along the lines of lust filled them. I was actually smiling at him now, giving in to the magnetic pull despite the protests from my cousin across from me and the obvious tension in her vampire's body language.

But then it was there again, the malicious snarling tangle of thoughts that clearly didn't want to be here. My head whipped up, scanning the crowd once more and this time I quickly pinpointed the owner of them in the middle of the dance floor. I centered in on him, feeling his thoughts flow over me, ignoring the blonde vampire to my right watching me curiously.

"_Where the fuck are they? My backup was supposed to be here fifteen minutes ago. I can't handle a raid on my own! These fucking vampires-"_

The snarling black and angry thoughts touched my mind and I gasped quietly, my hand shooting out to my right to grab onto…what? My armrest? Sookie?

I don't know but I ended up grabbing onto Eric's hand and a zap of energy shot up my arm, making me gasp again but I ignored it staring at Sookie.

"_Did you hear it? Did you hear him?"_ I thought frantically.

She meant to answer me mentally but it came out of her mouth instead and I cursed as I took in Eric's darting eyes between the two of us.

"We have to get out of here!" she exclaimed, leaning toward me and reaching out to Bill.

"Sookie-" he admonished but I cut him off.

Squeezing Eric's hand which, I hadn't even noticed through my thought sifting, hand wrapped itself around mine, "Eric the cops are coming, there's going to be a raid." I muttered, knowing he could hear me.

His hand tightened painfully on mine for a moment, "_Tell me_ you're _not_ an undercover cop," he demanded and I shook my head, watching as relief filled his eyes and his hand loosened its grip on mine, but still didn't let me go.

"She's not, but that man in the hat_ is_!" Sookie exclaimed to my right, breaking me out of my staring trance into Eric's eyes.

I felt Eric relaxing next to me and I bit back a smile as he unconsciously slid his fingers between mine while he spoke, his eyes still darting between my cousin and I then back out to the undercover cop in the crowd,

"Even if you're right, we do nothing illegal here."

But there was, there was something going on here, I could feel it. I let my mind wander again and found it instantly, the man Eric had kicked previously was in the bathroom with a vampire damn near sinking her fangs in him. I groaned lowly, shaking my head, and tightened my grip on Eric's hand.

"_The bathroom Sook, the bathroom."_ I thought with fear in my mental voice.

She took over while I tried to recover from the bloody scenes in my mind, making me flashback to my mother's death as Eric's hand tightened on mine again, pulling it further into his lap.

"There's a vampire named Taran in the ladies room with that man you kicked before. She's _feeding_ on him," Sookie said confidently.

Pam's eyes darted from her to me and my heavy breathing, to my hand in Eric's as he gazed around the room then back at Sookie.

"How do you know this?" Pam said suspiciously.

Bill quickly shook his head at her and I mentally screamed at her not to tell, something that Eric seemed to pick up on as he gazed down at me.

And then all hell broke loose.


	9. Chapter Nine

**Author's Note: **Update time! Special thanks to those who have reviews, favorited and followed! I'm really happy others are liking the general direction of the story! I'll make sure to keep up with Jason and Belle's sibling-like relationship, it's something I really enjoy too! So this picks up right after chapter eight! Happy Reading!

**Disclaimer: I do NOT own True Blood (sad day), its characters, or any other copyrighted/trademarked material that may be mentioned in this story. I DO own my original character, Annabelle Carnevare, and those OC's of her family members.**

* * *

There was shouting and screaming, furniture being overturned and crashed into walls as the police stormed the inside of the bar, taking people down in their wake. I stood without thinking, gazing at the mess that was ensuing before my eyes, unable to move.

It was absolute chaos.

My hand was still in Eric's tight grasp and he pulled on me, tugging me sharply to him as he called for the others to follow him. I was basically running in my heels to keep up with his huge steps, praying silently for the miracle of not falling.

God this guy was tall.

Like Holy-God-Are-You-A-Giant kind of tall.

He pulled me with him out a back exit and I quickly found myself in what looked like an ally leading in both directions toward the parking lot. I put up my blocks, needing the quiet of my own mind so I could think- just _THINK _Belle!- as I rummaged through my clutch for Donatello's keys.

Seconds later, if it was even that, Pam and Bill with a lounging Sookie in his arms joined us in the ally.

She looked at me frantically because we had come in two separate cars, which meant we had to split up, something her motherly instinct was screaming at her not to do. My car was farther away than Bill's and she was yelling something but I couldn't hear over the commotion from the bar.

"You're coming with me." I heard Eric's deep and commanding voice whisper into my ear and as much as I felt the need to go with him, I shook my head in protest.

No way was I leaving Donatello.

"Uh, no sir. My car, it's in your lot and there's no way in hell I'm leaving it." I said stubbornly, smirking despite the raging panic just a few yards away.

"Annabelle! Annabelle come on!" Sookie yelled to me from behind where I stood with Eric looming over me.

I smiled up at the tall blonde and wiggled my fingers some, "It's been fun stud, but I've got to run."

I turned to take off toward Donatello but a cool hand shot out, snaring my wrist in its grasp. I looked up with a spark of irritation into the frustrated blue eyes of Eric. He seemed entirely annoyed that I was defying him, and possibly annoyed with himself for stopping my exit.

"Oh no, I'm not through with you yet."

My eyebrows rose. Excuse me? Where did he think he got off-

"I'll take you to your car and then I'm coming with you." He spoke forcefully, and I knew no matter what I said, that's exactly what was going to happen.

Not that I minded. Well not that much, even though he was slightly arrogant with the whole I'm-Not-Through-With-You act.

He pulled me by our linked hands into his side, hugging me to his body tightly but warily almost, a body that felt deliciously good flush against mine; and he took off, moving at a vision-blurring pace.

"_God he's just so…"_ I thought to myself, admiring the vampire even in those few seconds.

Seriously, I was paying way too much attention to him when there were more important things at hand. Such as my cousin's screaming thoughts penetrating my mind. She'd heard my pleasure-filled thought about Eric…curse this mind reading thing.

"_Annabelle Lee Carnevare what the fuck are you doing!"_ a shrill, screaming thought broke through my guard and I winced.

"_Sook it's fine, just go with Bill and call me when you get in the car."_ I thought calmly.

"_Are you absolutely insane?! He could kill you!"_ she continued in that shrill tone.

"_Oh my god will you stop screaming at me! You're going to make my brain explode!"_ I screamed back to her, giving her a taste of her own medicine.

"_Belle it's not safe,"_ she said, quieting.

"_He won't hurt me Sookie. Call me in five."_

And I threw my guard back up forcefully. I heard Bill reassuring her behind us and then they split off toward his car, her screaming all the way. Way to go Sook, like that's not going to catch the attention of the swarming cops.

"Which is yours?" Eric murmured as he ran with me.

"The black Camaro, over there." I quickly answered, making the car beep.

I think I saw a ghost of a smile before he stopped, putting me down by the driver's side and then was around to the other side and getting in before I could even hardly open my door.

I ignored him purposefully while I slammed my door and cranked Donatello's engine over, gassing him some and revving the engine.

"Alright Donatello," I murmured without thinking about my audience.

His chuckle made me smile but I stayed concentrated on making it out and away from the bar before a cop decided to pull me over. I definitely didn't feel like spending time in a police station tonight. I made a few turns, losing myself in the city before I felt calm enough to slow to normal speeds, pointing my baby in the direction of the highway.

As I took the onramp, I reached out, turning on the radio to a piano channel to calm my nerves. If there was one thing that could keep me calm and bring me down from a hectic situation, it was listening to the soft music from a piano. After a few moments I looked over at my passenger who was staring at me curiously.

"What?" I murmured, turning back to the road.

"Aren't you afraid?" he asked, a hint of laughter in his voice.

I laughed quietly and shook my head.

"Why?" he questioned me.

"To be honest? I don't know." I answered him truthfully, "I'm just, not."

I shrugged, keeping my eyes on the road and avoided his piercing stare. I could tell he was frustrated, wanted to figure me out, wanted a way in. But he wouldn't get it. Whatever I was, the glamoring process was a complete waste on me.

"Miss. Carnevare-"he began, but the shrill ringing of my iPhone cut him off causing him to snarl slightly and me to giggle. I quickly swiped it open connecting the call, I had no doubt that Sookie was going to be completely freaked out.

"Annabelle Lee I'm going to _kill_ you!" she screeched immediately.

I winced, pulling back from the phone some, "Nice to hear that you got away too Sook, what with your screaming and all."

"What the hell do you think you're doing? Going off with Eric like that?! God, Bill says he's extremely dangerous, he'd drain you in seconds and-"

She continued on her rampage and I cut my eyes to the vampire sitting next to me, watching me with a smirk on his face. I was pretty sure he could hear every single word, and he seemed to be enjoying himself.

"Bill doesn't know what he's talking about, Eric's nice. He even took me to my car." I defended him valiantly.

Silence. Pure, judging silence.

Sookie was not an Eric fan thanks to her nosey boyfriend. I rolled my eyes. I came to Bon Temps to start a new life of independence not to have a judgy older cousin tell me who I could and couldn't talk to.

"Is he with you right now?" she questioned suspiciously.

My eyes met Eric's and he gave a quick shake of his head. I tilted my own in confusion, wondering why he wouldn't want it known that he was with me and narrowed my eyes. He'd be explaining that later.

"No, no he's not. He just heroically got me away from the cops and left with Pam, don't get your panties in a wad," I said sarcastically, she huffed in response.

"Listen, we can talk about this when we get home. I need to watch the road and try not to get pulled over by the lovely Louisiana police." I said sarcastically.

She sounded like she wanted to say more but agreed. We finished and I hung up the phone, tossing it gently onto the seat next to me before I remembered it was occupied.

"Oh god sorry, I'm so used to having it over there!" I said as a blush colored my cheeks while I reached in his lap to get it, making sure to only touch the phone.

The tingles were beginning again and I felt that sharp pull in his direction. It was the weirdest thing, like I needed to touch him, to be near him…and it was starting to freak me out. I began to suspiciously wonder if it was something he was doing on purpose but I didn't see how that was possible, nothing like that had ever worked on me before.

His smirk only grew bigger as he silently watched me.


	10. Chapter Ten

**Author's Note: **Update! I first want to say thank you SO much for the reviews, favorites and follows! You guys are totally awesome and it makes me really excited since this is my first True Blood FanFic and only my third total! So thanks again! I hope you enjoy the new chapter from Belle! For those of you who have seen the season, you know things are about to get a little crazy. I will say that I'll venture off canon some, but not vastly. However, through the next events you will get multiple flashbacks from Belle that give you a little more background to her story. I hope you enjoy!

Happy Reading!

**Disclaimer: I do NOT own True Blood (sad day), its characters, or any other copyrighted/trademarked material that may be mentioned in this story. I DO own my original character, Annabelle Carnevare, and those OC's of her family members.**

* * *

Sun, bright and blinding sun streaking through my window woke me early.

I whimpered pathetically and rolled over, hoping to find relief on the other side but the sunlight streaming in through that side of the room's window shined across my eyes again.

This house was plotting against me, I just knew it.

I sighed, rolling over onto my back and staring at the ceiling, letting the previous night's events wash over my memory, replaying in my mind.

The confrontation with my cousin's vampire (Erm, friend? Boyfriend? Oh whatever!) had been a supreme annoyance, like this guy could tell me who was okay to talk to and who wasn't. The blonde vamp was like a teddy bear.

Well…_if_ a teddy bear could snarl, snap and drink you dry.

Hey, it could. You know, if you went to a creepy toy store or something...

Eric's piercing and powerful stare had called to me last night before I had even laid eyes on him and it was spine tinglingly good, literally. The electric thrill of being so close to him, sensing him next to me the entire drive home but not touching him even though he was less than a foot away from me and I was itching to…God, when I had gotten into my room my heart was racing and I was breathing heavily.

He had watched me from his spot by my car as I walked up the steps and to the door. Even as I had walked inside and shut it.

He watched everything.

I was super glad Gran hadn't been awake to see my hyperventilating reaction, it had been embarrassing enough without firsthand witnesses. Though I had a sneaky suspicion that Eric had been able to tell, even from out in the driveway.

I couldn't explain it, but I knew the attraction and magnetic pull wasn't something that was forced on me. Even a vampire as old as I thought he possibly could be wouldn't be able to work his magic on me, I was just…special.

Or so my mother said.

I winced as thoughts about her filtered into my brain, ruining my tall, blonde and gorgeous vampire inclined thoughts.

"Belle _seriously_, that guy gives me the creeps."

I shrieked, jumping up into a standing position, getting slightly light-headed from such a quick movement. Sookie stood in the opened doorway, her arms folded over her chest with a stern look plastered on her face.

_Jesus_ did this chick knock?!

"Well good morning to you too my dear cousin," I spouted off sarcastically.

I stood up, not caring that I was in a sports bra and boyshorts (sue me, she's my cousin) and walked to my dresser for some shorts. When I looked back at her I caught her facial expression and I instantly became concerned, feeling bad about my early morning attitude. I opened my mind, letting her thoughts sift through.

"_Don't want her to get hurt…they may not be as great as I thought…Bill was so scary last night…that Eric guy has to be even worse when he gets angry…"_

She sounded close to tears and I immediately walked over, grabbing her in a tight hug. What had that jerk done to her?!

"Sook what happened last night? I'm sorry I didn't wait up, I was just so exhausted…Oh my god did he _hurt_ you?!" I squeaked.

I wanted her to tell me what had gone wrong without having to trespass through her thoughts but she stepped back out of my hug, her face composed and determined, strong.

"Belle I just…I _don't_ want to talk about it. Just be safe." She murmured, leaving me standing at the open door to my room as she hurried downstairs.

* * *

I stomped my way downstairs after her a few minutes later.

I was more than aware that I was being a total brat, but it hurt my feelings that she didn't want to tell me what was going on, I thought we were closer than that. How could she tell me that it wasn't safe to talk to Eric, but then not tell me what had happened with Bill? What was this, a "we can talk about _your_ relationship with a vampire but _not_ mine" act?

_"Relationship?"_ my inner voice rolled her eyes, shaking her head at me in disgust, _"Oh please, get a grip. The man helped you to your car and simply rode with you to make sure you got home safe. Relationship, ha!"_ she spat.

I seriously wished sometimes that I could have a fight with her, like actually get my hands on her. Tragically though, that simply wasn't humanly possible.

I stopped for a second at the bottom of the stairs, taking a deep breath.

Nice big concrete walls higher than skyscrapers in New York were soon pictured in my mind's eye, effectively blocking Sookie from my thoughts. If she didn't feel like sharing her relationship issues, I certainly wasn't going to share my appreciation for a certain blonde-headed vampire's delicious looking body.

I rounded the corner and smiled seeing Gran pushing eggs around in a skillet as the mouth-watering smells of breakfast filled my nose. I had completely forgotten to eat the night before in all the madness and was positively starving.

I turned and started pouring glasses of juice for everyone, smiling to myself as I took in how quickly the three of us had settled into a morning routine together in such a short time. We were family.

My own little heaven after everything.

"_I know, I'm so glad you're here Belle." _

Sookie's wayward thought made its way into my brain and I handed her the glass of crisp liquid in a gesture of peace. I didn't want to fight, _especially_ with her.

"His speech starts at eight, alright same to you now!" I smiled as Gran turned, filling our plates.

"Call about Bill's talk tonight?" I asked curiously.

"Everyone's excited about meeting the town vampire tonight!" she exclaimed.

Sookie's inward grumbling flashed across my senses but I ignored it, making sure my walls were fully in place.

"I didn't hear you come in last night…_either_ of you actually."

I choked on my drink, coughing and gasping for breath as Sookie clapped me on the back. Gran was talking in a simplistic No-Big-Deal kind of voice, but her curiosity was palpable. She wanted to know what had happened between Bill and Sookie, she still thought everything was totally fine. I opened my mouth to respond, silently praying she hadn't seen Eric through her window or something.

"You went to bed early! You didn't _want_ to hear us come in," Sookie said accusingly.

I zoned out while I took the first bites of my breakfast now that I could breathe properly, moaning quietly in appreciation. My grandmother could cook a meal like no other.

Seriously, it was delicious.

"Oh goodness did you two have a fight?" I heard Gran ask quietly.

My head snapped up looking at Sookie, this was what I'd been waiting for!

My cousin's eyes darted from mine to our grandmother's, trying to find the words to explain how she felt. A few flashes of images were hitting my brain, like memory recall. Some awful music and a gun or something. It was too fuzzy because only a little was slipping out from Sookie at a time.

"No…kind of. I don't think _Bill_ and_ I_ have very much in common." She spoke quietly, looking down at her lap with a pained expression. She stabbed her breakfast aggressively and my eyebrows rose.

Bill had _seriously_ pissed her off.

Gran gave a passionate speech about not hating or being afraid of someone who had lived to see the world in all its amazing ways and I was silently glad that I didn't have to worry about her objecting should I possibly (_somehow_ in God's great earth) see Eric again, but my mind was concentrated on the thoughts Sookie was still projecting without realizing. Bill had glamored a cop, and taken his gun, all while playing some creepy music crap. He'd scared her shitless.

No wonder she'd been so pissed about Eric!

"I don't _hate_ him, I just..._don't_ want to be his girlfriend."

I grinned behind my juice glass and busied myself eating, staring at my food while my grandmother dealt with the consistent phone calls that seemed to be hounding the little farmhouse.

"_Yeah, right,"_ I snickered to her.

"_Belle?"_

_"Hmm?" _I responded.

_"Shut up."_


	11. Chapter Eleven

**Author's Note: **Update! I hope you guys enjoy! It's partially filler but it also plays up home family-driven the three have become for each other! Let me know what you think! Happy Reading!

**Disclaimer: I do NOT own True Blood (sad day), its characters, or any other copyrighted/trademarked material that may be mentioned in this story. I DO own my original character, Annabelle Carnevare, and those OC's of her family members.**

* * *

A little after Sookie left for work, I drove Gran to the church in town so that she could begin setting up for the Descendants of the Glorious Dead meeting and the big talk from Bill that evening. I was a little nervous to begin with, Gran and I hadn't spent time together alone since I was like, fifteen. But it was so easy and we instantly slipped into a helping routine between the two of us. The time I spent with her, helping to set up chairs and tables for refreshments after the closing of the meeting was priceless.

I was humming quietly, arranging plates and what not on the refreshment table when she approached me quietly, almost scaring me when she placed her arm on mine.

"Honey, I just wanted you to know how glad I am to have you here with Sookie and I. We really needed the lightness and youth you bring to the house. I swear I feel younger and younger every day."

I bit my lip, blushing at her heartfelt murmur. She had no idea how grateful I was for the opportunity she gave me, especially after my mother and father had stopped the yearly visits to Louisiana a few years prior.

"Gran, I…I wouldn't want to be anywhere else in the world. Really. You and Sook, you're my new home."

My voice broke slightly on the word new and Gran wrapped me in a hug, tight against her. It was perfect, motherly and protective.

I hadn't felt this safe since before my mother was killed.

* * *

After dropping Gran back off at the house, I headed up to Merlotte's so I could double-check that Sookie was still going to the meeting despite her new predicament with the star speaker the evening. I was definitely a complete mess, dressed in workout clothes since I had been helping with the preparations of the night, my hair in the highest messy bun I'd ever managed (seriously, I could win an award).

I shrugged and sighed to myself.

The great people of Bon Temps were going to see me looking a hot mess at some point, now may as well be it.

I quickly pushed into the crowded bar and restaurant and my eyebrows shot up high, arching perfectly as my jaw dropped. Really, if anyone was paying attention to me they probably would've laughed, it was downright comical.

But all eyes were on a nervous and fidgeting Sam as he slowly (and painfully, I literally winced as he stumbled through) worked his way up to finally asking Sookie out on a date.

To the meeting.

I smirked to myself privately; I could practically smell the territorial testosterone in the air.

I let my walls down instinctively, sifting through the mounds of chaotic thoughts that whirled through me. Sookie had been talking to the red-head, Arlene I found out, about the night before. Totally discounted Fangtasia which I didn't appreciate or agree with but hey- to each their own. Sam was smug over the fact that Sookie had been creeped out and wouldn't (so she said, I still had my doubts) be seeing Bill again. But the most prominent of all the thoughts was everyone's surprise that Sam was finally, _finally_, asking Sookie on a date.

Apparently he had been carrying quite a torch for her, as Gran would say.

I grinned as I watched them and Sookie accepted the date, much to Sam's happiness.

_"So I was right, he is totally into you!"_ I squealed her way mentally.

She jumped a little since she hadn't seen me come in nor was she expecting any direct thoughts coming her way before she sent me a sisterly look of annoyance that ended in a smile.

_"Do you think it's okay? Since I was just out with Bill?"_

I rolled my eyes and nodded. I was normally very careful about physically answering a thought but none of the patrons would realize what I was doing, so it was safe. However, I missed Sam's wandering eyes and curious glance between us.

_"Hey, give the idiot a run for his money. Sam IS cute after all. In a rugged, outdoorsy kind of way."_

I grinned mischievously over at her after silently appreciating Sam's appearance, quickly looking away to Sookie when his eyes darted up like he'd picked up on what I was doing. The wink I sent her way made her blush before she was off and disappearing to the back as I took a seat in the booth nearest me. Sookie brought me a coke and ran off quickly mumbling something about Tara, so I sat and watched curiously as they both disappeared to the back yet again. I could hear snippets of the conversation mentally, though I wasn't really trying or straining myself to hear.

Tara had stepped off and alibied for Jason, much to my happiness. I didn't want my brother-like cousin to get his ass in any more trouble than it already was. Still, I didn't want Tara to get in trouble either.

"_Damn you_ Jason Stackhouse and the messes you get yourself into!" I grumbled to myself.

"You're telling me."

I jumped a little as Sookie slid into the booth seat across from me, sighing heavily. She was drained, and I frowned a little noticing the dark circles under her eyes; she must not have slept all that well.

"Are you still coming tonight?" I murmured, concerned.

She nodded, stealing my coke for a sip, "Of course! Gran would be so disappointed if I wasn't there. You're going right?"

I grinned, "Definitely. I took her to the church this morning to help set up. She's so excited; it reminds me of my fangirl moments for my favorite celebrities or bands."

I rolled my eyes and we giggled quietly before picking up on the multiple sets of prying eyes. Most of the town had come to realize I was a cousin of Sookie and Jason's and that I was Adele Stackhouse's granddaughter. Most of the town also had a _stellar_ set of exaggerated reasons as to why I was in town living with my cousin and Gran, why I'd left New York, rather or not I'd had a teen pregnancy, and how much mafia money I had connections to.

Really, the list went on and on, getting more and more ridiculous as it went.

I sighed and stood up after pushing my drink Sookie's way to finish.

"I'd better head home and start getting ready, what do you even wear to something like this? If I don't see you before Sam picks you up, I'll see you at the meeting?" I asked, my sudden exhaustion with the people in the bar evident in my tone.

She nodded as she stood as well before kissing my cheek and sending a thought my way-

_"Don't listen to them. They're a bunch of nosey no-good rednecks. I love you, I'll see you later."_

My smile returned at her aggressive and protective tone as she glared around the bar, causing many to look anywhere but at us. I wiggled my fingers in a goodbye wave to Tara before winking at Sam and heading out of the door to the bar.

* * *

Panicking, I was panicking.

I recognized the signs dimly; my high pulse, heated skin, the feeling of not being able to breathe even though my dress was lose-fitting and flowy, not to mention I could practically hear my heartbeat. The fabric of the soft material was sticking to me, suffocating me, and I was constantly backing myself up until I was flush against the wall in a corner.

There were people _everywhere_.

I mean everywhere, there wasn't a single seat left open in the church. Standing room only, and there were plenty that chose to do that as well.

What was normally a quiet meeting of just a few of the folks in town had erupted into a full-out, no holds barred, assembly. I was pretty sure that every single person in the town (well, just about at least) was in that room directly in front of me now. The noise level was almost deafening, which I was slightly thankful for so that no one could hear my heart pounding in my chest.

The last time I'd been in a church with this many people had been my mother's funeral. Everyone dressed in black, the whole family had shown up including members of other families in the neighborhood. Every time I looked up to the front, I swear I saw my mother's casket. My vision seemed to be constantly blurring between memory and reality as the ability to breathe became more and more of a feat to accomplish.

When Gran's cool hand squeezed my arm I nearly screamed bloody-murder right there. For like, the fourth time that day.

_"Too jumpy,"_ I thought quietly.

"Belle, if you need to leave I understand. I know this can't be easy for you," Gran murmured to me lovingly and worried.

I smiled a little though I felt tears threatening the corners of my eyes. I would _NOT_ cry, dammit I was stronger than this.

_"You're a Carnevare, get your shit together!"_ I snarled at myself.

Promising Gran that I was fine, no really totally fine, and that I wanted to stay but just didn't want to sit up front with Sookie and Jason, I was finally able to get her moved to the front of the church. I could tell that she didn't want to leave me, but people were beginning to grumble about the beginning time of the meeting so I pushed her along.

As soon as she left though, all those panicky feelings returned and I was once again feeling like I couldn't breathe.

As she spoke and then handed the meeting over to Bill, bits and pieces of my mother's funeral and death floated to me on waves of memory. Each one seemed to crash into my brain like an ice-cold arctic wave, dousing my body in cold fear, yet my skin seemed to burn.

I couldn't do this, she was right I needed to leave; I had to get out.

I didn't want to disappoint Gran, but my god I couldn't handle this anymore. I literally felt like I was gasping for breath.

I backed up slowly, hoping to not create any noise or distraction from the heartfelt speech that Bill was giving. He seemed to notice me, but he also seemed to notice my distress and I think I caught a nod from him, like he understood.

I was clawing my way backwards along the wall, still watching the crowd in front of me when suddenly, my heated back was cooling.

The chill wasn't unpleasant, in fact, it was perfect as it sent a slight shiver throughout my body while it quickly attempted to readjust to the temperature change. It seemed to envelope me just right, easing the panic from my body. My lungs started to cooperate again as my heartbeat slowed to something of normal proportions.

The coolness settled around my aura, cutting off the massive stream of thoughts that had been overwhelming my brain because I was too freaked out to stop them, and a soft moan mixed with a sigh of appreciation escaped my lips.

Wait…_wait_, the coolness cut off thoughts…the only thing that had ever cut of thoughts for me wa-

A deep and low chuckle sounded from behind me near my ear, lips brushing the sensitive skin there gently; and I felt every single nerve scream to attention, begging me to turn around.

"Oh Miss. Carnevare, I do believe I could get used to sighs like that when you're around me."


	12. Chapter Twelve

**Author's Note: **Nightly update! I tried to play up Eric and Belle's connection as much as possible without it getting too heavy too fast because then there would be no where for the story to go! I also added in some of the Sookie/Belle mental conversations that I love and know some of you do! Thank you for all the new reviews, favorites and follows! Like always, constructive feedback is welcomed!

Happy Reading!

**Disclaimer: I do NOT own True Blood (seriously, I wish I did), its characters, or any other copyrighted/trademarked material that may be mentioned in this story. I DO own my original character, Annabelle Carnevare, and those OC's of her family members.**

* * *

My lungs reflexively sucked in a giant breath of air at the shock of Eric's voice so close to my ear. Nerves were humming and buzzing inside me while I tried to level out the beat of my heart, all the time staring up at the almost seven-foot tall, blonde vampire who loomed over me from behind with wide eyes.

"_Eric_," I breathily whispered.

His usual smirk grew bigger at the sound of my breathy tone.

"You scared the _hell_ out of me!" I hissed my tone changing quickly, my eyes narrowing as I shoved him gently, knowing it probably wouldn't even move him.

I _was_ relieved though, regardless of the temporary fright. Somehow having him near was easing my panic and fear, and the silence that filled my head as his cool temperature surrounded me was so sweet I nearly leaned into him. As it was, I was inched as close as possible without touching.

His eyes turned piercing, the enjoyment of my reaction disappearing across his features as he centered in on my expression, his longish blonde hair sweeping forward as he tilted his head in my direction.

"I do believe something _else_ was already doing that for me," he murmured low in his chest.

I inched away at that, leaning back up against the wall as my eyes darted quickly to the filled church in front of us. Few had noticed Eric's arrival. Bill looked slightly angry at first but his expression cleared as he continued to speak, Gran had looked back to check on me and a small, wise smile played on her lips. I ducked my head some, a blush spreading across my cheeks as I winked at her.

What?! He was hot, how could I _not_ notice?

The quiet rumble of a snarl due to my lack of attention had me turning my head back toward Eric again.

"Would you care to tell me what had you so frightened before I walked inside?" he asked in frustration.

I closed my eyes momentarily as all the memories from that terrible day washed through my mind, making me cringe. I shook my head quickly, turning away. It didn't matter how good him standing there made me feel, I wasn't about to go into that extremely emotional discussion. Vampire or not, it'd probably freak him out…or bore him out of his mind.

"It was nothing, just nightmares from the past," I murmured, watching as Bill finished up his speech and Gran started motioning people to the refreshments in the other room.

"That's not an answer _Miss._ Carnevare," he growled.

I smirked, arching a brow as I looked up at him, "It's all you're going to get _Mr._ Northman."

His eyes narrowed down at me and I continued to smirk, though it soon turned into a full-out grin. I get the feeling that Eric Northman usually gets exactly what he wants, and he wasn't pleased that I was giving him a veiled answer at all. He stepped forward toward me and I held my ground, simply tilting my head back further to keep eye contact with him, when a pale white hand wrapped itself around my wrist and yanked me into the concrete chest of…Bill Compton.

"What the-"

I hissed, but was quickly cut off by a new pale hand grabbing my other wrist, yanking me back its way and into an even more concrete chest, causing a gust of air to be expelled from my lungs.

"Umph!"

There were quiet snarls and hisses filling my ears as I looked up into the extremely angry face of Eric and the equally angry face of Bill.

"She is-"Bill whisper-yelled.

"_NOT_ yours." Eric snarled.

I completely disregarded the possessive implications as my eyes darted around nervously, checking to see how many people took notice of the exchange. Too many, though not everyone. Gran had certainly noticed, and I think Jason had too (though he looked too damn high to even care). Thankfully Sookie seemed too caught up in whatever Sam was talking to her about and she was still turned away.

I yanked my wrists from both of their grasps quickly, not wanting her to catch the interaction. She might be claiming that she didn't care about being with Bill, but I knew otherwise, and I wasn't about to have her catching him seemingly protective over another girl. Especially since I'm her cousin. Besides, why the hell did he care?

"Will you both _STOP_ it?!" I whisper-yelled, glaring at them both even though I ended up standing slightly closer to Eric than Bill, with my hands resting on my hips.

Something that they each noticed I'd guess by Eric's smug facial expression and Bill's scowl.

"God do _either_ of you know how to be even slightly inconspicuous?"

My question was met with silence and I finally looked up into the amused gazes of them both, something that totally aggravated me. Oh now they were best buddies and sharing a laugh over the high voice of the human girl?

"Annabelle you don't know him he's-" Bill tried, in that soothing voice of his.

Normally it'd probably work but I was pissed.

"Oh _please_ Bill, can we not do this right now?" I sighed, shaking my head.

He looked like he was going to say something but I shushed him, noticing Gran coming toward us with a curious look on her face. Busted, we were so busted.

"Belle, Mr. Compton," she started, her eyes resting on Eric a moment trying to place him, "I was wondering if you might join me at the refreshment table thanking guests? Unless you're busy with mister…" she trailed off, not knowing Eric's name.

"Northman, Eric Northman."

My brows rose at Eric's warm and soothing tone, obviously easing Gran's nerves. I watched with surprise evident on my face I'm sure, because Eric was a total gentleman and obviously insanely good with protective parental figures. I bit down on my lip to hide my smirk, he had her totally snowed. She smiled and laughed like a school girl as Bill and I watched on incredulously, as did the crowd of people nearest us. Sookie looked over in cautious interest while Sam looked…annoyed; and Arlene was standing by them with her family, obviously miffed that Gran and I were associating with vampires.

"_That Arlene chick needs someone to pull out the giant stick up her ass. Seriously does Rene not know how to please a woman? She needs to get laid."_

I sent the snarky thought Sookie's way and had to slap a hand over my mouth to prevent a snort from escaping as she choked on her drink when me thought hit her, coughing and gasping around surprise and laughter. Bill quickly made his way over to her in obvious concern after excusing himself from Gran, Eric and I. Sookie looked up at me glaring like the big sister she had become, jumping a little when Bill spoke to her.

"_I'm so going to kill you when I get home Belle, you just wait." _

Her thought screeched through my brain and caused me to smirk, shaking my head some.

"_You couldn't catch me if you tried."_ I giggled mentally.

"_Wanna bet? Now look, Bill's over here and Sam is getting all edgy!" _Sookie whined to me.

"_Well take that handsome guy and leave, I'm sure you don't want to spend your entire date here with your ex-"_I started, but was quickly cut off.

"_He WASN'T my boyfriend!"_

"_-date…I was going to say ex-date. Touchy much?"_ I smirked, tilting my head.

She shook her fist at me from the other side of the room to no one's notice. Or so I thought. Eric's curious gaze caught mine before darting back to her and I quickly smoothed my facial expression, hoping he wouldn't catch on to the mental conversation Sookie and I had shared.

I was about to turn back to Gran and Eric when I felt a sharp and painful jab in my brain like someone had stuck me. A snarled and tangled web of dark and murderous thoughts touched my mind and I gasped inaudibly, feeling Eric stiffen next to me because of it.

Someone was watching me, and they were angry, _very_ angry.

I was going to call out to Sookie but noticed her leaving with Sam and thought better of it; I didn't want to ruin her night. Soon, Eric's voice brought me out of my haze when he stepped closer to me, his coolness easing the pain in my head and clearing it; making the evil cloud of anger dissipate.

"Mrs. Stackhouse I promised Annabelle that I would take her to dinner,"

What? _No_ he didn't!

"She and I have some catching up to do."

What?! _No_ we did not!

"Do you mind if I steal her away early? I promise to return her safely home."

He was laying on the charm thickly; every word was coated in a sugar sweetness that Gran was totally eating up. She was so enthralled; she didn't even notice the crazed looks I was shooting his way. She nodded enthusiastically and kissed my cheek while squeezing my hand, making me promise to have a good time. Dazed, I did as she asked, before watching her return to the crowd, smiling and chatting with each person she passed.

"This way Miss. Carnevare," Eric murmured, holding his hand out in front of us in a sweeping gesture.

I knew Sookie would be so pissed that I left with him, but I couldn't seem to make myself refuse. I also couldn't help the small smile that played on my lips as I moved in that direction, following his lead. I could feel his hand ghosting the small of my back, never touching, but guiding me as we went all the same.

"You lied to my grandmother," I remarked, enjoying the feel of the evening breeze winding its way through my dress and legs.

"Hardly. We _do_ have some things to catch up on, and I _should_ have taken you some place to eat last night. You are human after all."

He spoke in a tone that sounded like it wasn't questionable, not up for discussion of any kind. Quite dominant sounding really. It was becoming increasingly clear that Eric Northman got what he wanted, when he wanted it, and without question. I grinned to myself, knowing there was no way in hell I'd play by those rules.

He stopped by a black sleek Corvette and swung the passenger side door open as I shook my head, laughing while I slid inside before he shut the door gently.

"Of course," I giggled.


	13. Chapter Thirteen

**Author's Note: **Nightly update! In this chapter I wanted to play up Annabelle's sparky stubborn and willful personality without her becoming well, annoying. I had an original thought of what I wanted her character to be like but I've been toying with it some, changing here and there. I don't want her to become too dependent on Eric, she is a Carnevare and a Stackhouse after all. But at the same time, I didn't want her to be dumb and too hot-headed to see the point like Sookie (sorry major Sookie lovers!) is sometimes. So bare with me and send me suggestions if you have them! I also wanted to show Eric's attraction and pull toward her, without him becoming too unlike his Viking self! (;

Happy Reading!

**Disclaimer: I do NOT own True Blood (seriously, I wish I did), its characters, or any other copyrighted/trademarked material that may be mentioned in this story. I DO own my original character, Annabelle Carnevare, and those OC's of her family members.**

* * *

I relaxed into the Corvette's seats as Eric sped away, ignoring the disgusted look on Arlene's face as she watched us leave with Rene' and her kids. Her close-mindedness worried me for her children, but I mentally shrugged it off because there was simply nothing that I could do. Hopefully they'd grow up to make their own decisions. The mental silence from my companion was a welcome retreat that I reveled in after the horror that had been my night. I had expected to be slightly nervous, but I had never expected it to get quite so out of control.

Eric sat in complete silence, _dead_ silence, as he drove.

My brows knitted in confusion some, after all he had said we had 'catching up to do' and the last time I checked, silence didn't seem to get the job done. I sighed quietly as annoyance began to settle in, what was up with this guy anyway?

"Look, I realize_ you_ don't have to eat and all, but _I'm_ starving. I've got no idea where you're headed, but I seriously hope it's someplace with food." I murmured, gazing out my window.

I felt the familiar burn of his piercing gaze rest on me and turned to catch him staring at my bare neck before his eyes lifted to meet mine, a knowing smirk spreading itself across his perfect lips.

"Oh _trust_ me Annabelle, I could eat." His low, deep voice seemed to stroke across my skin and I felt a warmth spread through me that I had only experienced once before, with him.

Most people would be afraid. While Eric's voice seemed to warm me, it would chill anyone else's bones. Where I heard seduction and something else, they'd hear a threatening promise of fangs buried in their necks. They'd also probably turn tail and run, never looking back. I, however, was not most people.

I held his gaze, a smirk gracing my own lips and moved my hair away from my neck, watching as his eyes widened with surprise.

"In your _dreams_ Northman." I trilled happily, before pointing to a small café on the edge of town. "How about here?"

A low growl filled the car as he maneuvered the car into a space, parking with a quick jolt, no doubt to throw me against the seatbelt. I turned to glare at him but he was already out of the car, moving at vamp speed to swing my door open before he held out his hand, helping me up from the low seat. When I was standing, way too close to him for my brain to function properly by the way, he shut my door and grabbed me by the elbow, firmly leading me into the small restaurant.

We were sat almost immediately since we were one of only three couples in the place, and I gazed around, smiling as I took in the homey décor. It reminded me of Gran's house and I relaxed completely despite the sexual tension that was barely leashed inside of me due to the gorgeous specimen of a man in front of me. I could tell that he'd been just as handsome before he'd been turned, and wondered again where he was from. I vowed silently to translate the language he'd spoken with the blonde vampire the night before.

"Like what you see?" Eric murmured, his classic smirk playing on his lips.

I flushed for a moment-_busted again!-_ but quickly shrugged it off, "I've seen better."

It was a _lie_, a complete and total lie.

I had never seen better in all my eighteen years, and I doubted seriously that I ever would. I heard a faint popping sound and looked up from my menu curiously to find his fangs had descended as he glared across the table at me. My eyebrows rose and I was going to make a snippy remark about him not handling his self-control, but the movement of the waitress coming toward us distracted me. I nudged his leg under the table with mine to warn him and he jerked his head back some, his fangs disappearing as quickly as they had come, before he trapped my leg between his. I glared his way, pulling at my leg, but it was absolutely no use.

He wouldn't budge.

"What can I get for you two lovebirds?" an older woman, probably around my Gran's age, asked us happily.

I flushed from head to toe at the insinuation and my heart stuttered some when I caught Eric's knowing and smirky grin as he watched me. I cleared my throat, multiple times, before my voice finally graced me with its presence.

Dammit.

"I'll take a hamburger deluxe plate with a Dr. Pepper if you have it. I'm _dying_ for some caffeine." I smiled at her good-naturedly.

She nodded and I realized she totally reminded me of Gran before she turned to my vampy companion.

"And you sir? What can I…"she looked up for the first time and her voice trailed off, actually taking note of the man I was with. I swear she almost dropped the order pad.

"My goodness, I…I'm so sorry sir, we don't have any TruBlood. We rarely get a vampire customer in here."

I stiffened a little, slightly afraid for the older woman. Though I had no concerns for myself, God only knew why, I did have concerns for others who offended the man in front of me. It didn't pass by my senses or intellect that he was entirely too powerful for his own good, and could crush anyone he pleased. But he smiled charmingly at the woman before letting his eyes fall back on me, a deep and seductive rumble filling his voice as he spoke.

"That's quite alright, I've got everything I need _right_ here."

I stopped breathing.

Literally, my lungs stopped functioning.

The whole room seemed to fall silent, even though there had been little noise before, and the woman looked at me worriedly. The other couples had frozen as well, as I simply stared at the smirk on Eric's face, the warmth from his stare pulsing through my body. The gentle pressure of his legs squeezing together on mine jolted me back to reality and I laughed sweetly, putting the rest of the people in the café at ease.

Certainly a girl wouldn't be sweetly giggling at her vampire companion if she was in _danger_…right?

When the waitress stepped away my happy smile turned to a glare as I yanked on my leg yet again, still not managing to free myself. The guy has legs like…well I don't know but they were powerful and I wasn't getting out of his vise-like grip anytime soon. Eric sucked in an unnecessary breath, closing his eyes for a moment to enjoy whatever it was he was smelling, before his icy gaze landed on my golden-green eyes again.

"You smell absolutely delicious." He murmured, watching me carefully.

My eyebrows arched perfectly as my eyes widened, an involuntary blush creeping up my neck yet again.

Darn you emotionally betraying blushes!

His smirk widened into an actual grin as he watched me, and I sensed I was getting an insight to Eric Northman that not many did. He almost looked, boyish, happy with his teasing.

"Your thigh is getting quite warm Annabelle, am I _touching_ a nerve?"

His silky voice slid over me, almost distracting me from the double meanings of his words. I glared and yanked on my leg again, no matter how hot he was I didn't just give in. I had Carnevare blood running in me after all. But it was no use, I couldn't get free. So I reacted in the most unladylike fashion I ever had before.

"_Fuck_ you." I glared, gritting out the words through my teeth.

I expected anger, but his grin only widened further, almost to the point that it could be called cheeky. The blonde vampire leaned across the table into me and stroked a lock of hair back behind my ear, his fingers trailing down the skin of my neck gently before he looked up into my eyes again, this time his expression was serious, lustful.

"Would you like to?" he asked huskily.

The quiet moan that escaped my lips was completely out of my control. I had totally meant it to be something that I did inwardly, but somehow the synapses in my brain seemed to misfire, and I was doing it out loud instead. That shouldn't have been entirely surprising, seeing as how anytime he was around me my nerves seemed to go completely haywire, doing their own thing.

The icy blue of his eyes seemed to darken in hue, reminding me of a stormy sea, and I swear I saw him inch forward some; his head tilting to the side as he would if he were to kiss me. My heart sped up, watching him closely, but the sound of the older woman bustling down the aisle had him pulling back, his hand dropping from my skin despite my inner protests as he released my leg from his.

My burger was placed in front of me and I began to eat quietly, keeping my eyes down, when I realized he had shut himself off into a brooding and almost angry state. He was silent, watching me some and staring out the window the other half of the time while I sighed inwardly.

Something told me it was going to be a long night.

Did all vampires have mood swings like this?


	14. Chapter Fourteen

**Author's Note:** So sorry for not updating lately! I hit a bit of a writer's block with this one as ideas for other stories crowded my brain and I devoted more time to constant updates for my Teen Wolf Fic (If you love Derek Hale, you should totally give it a try- cough, wink, cough) lately. But lately thoughts have been surfacing for this one so that's what I worked on last night!

I went back and reread some previous chapters and I want to apologize for the editing mistakes I found and the general choppiness of the storyline! I'm going to go back and do some editing and combining, see if I can't get it to flow better!

In this chapter it's all Belle's POV! There's a good bit of Eric/Belle time, with a little bit of OOC for Eric. I hope it isn't too much that it annoys the crap out of you guys! I'm building scenes to go alongside the episodes of True Blood and that means more appearances by our favorite Viking Vamp, at least from Belle's POV if not others. The incorporation is hard sometimes, throws off what we all know actually occurs in the episode, but if you're an Eric lover and love having him around then you won't mind (;

Happy Reading!

**Disclaimer: I do NOT own True Blood (seriously, I wish I did), its characters, or any other copyrighted/trademarked material that may be mentioned in this story. I DO own my original character, Annabelle Carnevare, and those OC's of her family members.**

* * *

_Blood is a fickle thing. Too much, you could die. Too little, you could die.  
The balancing act of life is never-ending._

* * *

_~Annabelle's POV~_

I finished my meal in general silence after attempting to start some sort of conversation with the blonde vampire who sat directly across from me in a withdrawn and broody pose once or twice only to have it fail. My thoughts were all jumbled, changing from sure and confident in myself to thinking I'd committed some sort of ridiculous vampire faux pas that had Eric pissed. By the time I was finished with my dinner and sipping my drink distractedly, I was pissed. I _never_ got so unsure of myself anymore, guys never made me feel so on edge and ridiculous yet completely aware and turned on by their presence since I was a teenager who hadn't yet been on her first date.

This was _stupid_.

I sighed deeply and uncrossed my ankles under the table as I moved to stand, catching Eric by surprise from what I could tell by the quick movement of his head snapping up from his stare out the window.

"Where are you going?" He murmured, watching.

"Home?" I answered quickly, making sure to drop enough money on the table to cover my food. "Thank you for accompanying me to dinner Mr. Northman." I murmured.

I moved fluidly after that, ignoring the surprise and anger that flitted across his features as I smiled to the waitress and walked myself down the café's aisle. I made it out of the glass door and into the warmly humid night air before Eric could stop me, taking a deep soothing breath as my eyes darted around my surroundings. Merlotte's wasn't _too_ far from where I was and if I could get there I knew I could grab a ride from Jason or Tara to make it home.

Taking a step forward in that direction, I was suddenly spun around as a cool hand latched onto my elbow and turned me toward its owner.

"I'm pretty sure that in both Vampire and Human etiquette it's _rude_ to walk away from someone you've been eating dinner with." Eric nearly snarled, effectively halting me.

My eyebrow arched and I snapped back in return. "I'm pretty sure that it's rude to completely _ignore_ one's dinner companion, but hey what do I know?"

Eric stared down at me, the ends of his long blonde hair sweeping forward due to the arch of his neck as he breathed heavily, something he technically didn't have to do. His emotions were surprisingly transparent; annoyance, anger, confusion, lust, annoyance. I narrowed my eyes and dimly wondered why he wasn't able to keep a better lock on them, usually vampires were completely blank-faced most of the time.

"I…apologize." His stiff voice filtered through my ears, making my eyes widen in shock.

Vampires also didn't usually _apologize_ for things.

We stared at each other for what seemed like hours, that heated tingling returning inside me that alerted me to the tightening of my muscles lower in my body as my tongue darted out to wet my lips. It was an act that did _not_ go unnoticed, and the image of his eyes carefully tracking the movement of my tongue only fanned the flames of the heat inside me.

I finally broke the trance by clearing my throat and looking away before speaking. "_So_, did you want to stand here all night or make good on your promise to my Gran about returning me home?"

My lips curved into a smirk that was answered by one of his own as he nodded quickly and turned us, his hand still firmly gripping my elbow, and guided us to his waiting car. Again he popped open the door and ushered me inside, his cool fingers gripping mine to balance me as I slid into the seat before they stroked the underside of my wrist and forearm as he let go. My stomach jumped inside my body and butterflies seemed to spring loose.

_"Calm. Keep calm or he's going to think you're a total freak."_ I chastised myself as he fluidly moved around the car.

Folding himself inside, Eric gently turned the key and I grinned as the engine roared to life, sending gentle vibrations through our feet from the floorboards as the massive machine purred. He pulled away from the curb, much too fast probably, and set the car on its path toward the old farm-house. It was obvious he remembered exactly where it was and the knowledge sent a thrill right through me to my core.

"Why are you here?" Eric murmured, his deep voice filling the interior of the dark car.

"Because you practically kidnapped me. From a _church_ no less." I quipped, grinning.

A small chuckle came from the other side of the vehicle and I turned to him with a grin before it faltered as his expression became serious, searching. I sighed quietly and averted my gaze, staring out the windshield as the nighttime scenery passed us by.

"I'm here because I'm starting over." I conceded.

A moment of silence passed before he spoke again. "_From_?"

"You're _nosey_." I observed.

Eric snarled a little but stopped quickly. "I like to know the inhabitants of my area."

I shrugged. "I'm not vampire."

"You're not entirely _human_ either." He replied shortly.

I sighed quietly, he had me there.

_Dammit_.

"My mother was killed." I supplied after a few moments of stubborn silence, neither one of us wanting to break. "Things..._changed_ after that. For months everything was just so…upside down. I got the idea to call Gran and pitched the thought of moving in with her and Sookie to her, she agreed immediately. Next thing you know, here I am."

I hadn't meant to tell him so much, didn't want to really, but something about talking to him about the whole thing just seemed…right. I couldn't tell you why, couldn't tell you how I came to feel what I did…I just _did_.

"So you're starting over." Eric murmured, neither making a fuss about what I'd said nor completely ignoring it.

The perfect balance.

"I'm starting over." I confirmed, a small smile flashing his way.

More time passed and before I knew it we were taking the turn off that lead down the slightly bumpy road toward the farm-house. I warned him about the dips and holes, not wanting his car to bottom out anywhere. He smirked and expertly guided the Corvette through the perils of the driveway until he came to a stop in front of the house. I arched my neck to look around and noticed Gran's car pulled around back, Donatello and Sookie's still right where we'd left them in front, and the light on in Gran's room. Sookie and mine were both still dark, signaling that we had yet to return home.

"Well Mr. Northman," I began, smiling.

"_Eric_." He interjected.

Before I had time to comment he was out of the vehicle and around to my passenger side door, opening it for me once again as he extended his hand to help me out from the seat's low position. I let him guide me to my feet before he pulled me out of the way and shut the door with a soft click. He turned toward me again, his neck dipping and his hair swinging forward because of it. Before I knew it my hand shot out of its own accord and I was…

Touching his _hair_.

Pushing it back from his face some.

Eric's eyes widened a fraction in surprise at my forward and uninvited action, as did mine. I bit down on my lip hard as a blush crept across my skin and winced when my teeth punctured the soft skin of my bottom lip. Eric stiffened noticeably and so did I, my eyes immediately growing big when the taste of blood filled my mouth and I realized my mistake.

He didn't pounce on me though.

Didn't strike like Bill _swore_ he would.

He only looked at me, his eyes darkening in lust and what looked like hunger, rather it was for me, the blood or both I couldn't say.

Eric pulled me to him slowly and I let him, my body easily relaxing at his touch until I was pressed flush against his body and I felt the stiffness of him pressing into my stomach. The feeling had me biting my lip again unintentionally, the heat inside me rocketing to new temperatures as muscles stretched and clenched in recognition.

"May I?" Eric murmured, his tone deep and husky.

I kept my eyes on his, wondering, judging. Their stormy color intensified the blue, clouded it almost in a way as he stared down at me, patiently waiting.

"Yes." I murmured my agreement quietly.

A flash of his devilish smile graced his lips before he leaned down further as his thumb skated across my lip, tracing it slowly and gathering the drops of blood that had welled up there. The action was completely _captivating_, seductive and tempting as his eyes watched mine while he lifted his blood stained finger to his mouth and dipped it in. I caught the faint shadow of the tip of his tongue curling around it as he sucked my blood from it and I nearly moaned aloud at the clenching of my muscles in my lower body in response.

"You _taste_ even more delicious than you smell." Eric murmured, watching me carefully.

He could've had me.

There was _no_ doubt about it, Eric Northman could've had me right there at those words.

I would've said yes in less than the proverbial New York minute and _gladly_. Somehow he seemed to notice that though, and surprisingly he blinked, breaking the eye-contact we shared. It gave me just enough time to drag in a ragged breath as I ran my fingers through my hair and my eyes darted all around. I cleared my throat as my pupils began to shrink from their dilated position, sucking in breath after breath of clean and pure oxygen to try and chase away the light-headed feeling that had come over me, battling the instinctual pull of every nerve-ending in my body that was _demanding_ I jump the vampire standing next to me immediately.

"Well," I murmured uncertainly.

"You should go inside. I wouldn't want your grandmother to think I wasn't a man of my word." Eric smirked, watching me.

Always watching me.

My smirk came out to play in return. "Yes, we couldn't have _that_."

He shook his head, the long hair swinging in motion because of it and prompting the ache inside me to reach out and touch it again. I took a step back toward the house instead, slipping out of my shoes as I went until I was standing on the steps. I raised my hand and wiggled my fingers in a good-bye.

"Goodnight Mr. Northman," I whispered.

"Goodnight Miss. Carnevare."

Eric's words floated to me on the wind and I grinned as I walked my way around the wooden wrap-around porch, listening as the faint sound of the engine purring to life slowly dissipated until I was left in the dark alone, gazing up at the stars.

* * *

I stayed outside for a few minutes, not long really, just long enough until I felt calm enough to go in _without_ turning into a giggling mess if Gran asked me about my night with Eric. Slipping quietly through the back washroom and into the house wasn't a problem for me, I'd gotten to know the layout of the house pretty quickly.

What _was_ a problem though, was finding the light switch.

The damn thing was like hidden treasure, lurking in the dark and away from my ability to see anything. I stepped forward as my hand traced along the wall in the darkened kitchen, ignoring the shadows that played on the cream-colored paint. I had just felt the thing when my bare foot connected with something like a sticky liquid and I slipped, crashing to the floor in a heap into more of whatever it was.

"Son of a _bitch_!" I cursed loudly, wincing at the thought of my grandmother hearing it upstairs.

There was no sound of movement though, no sign that she had heard. I stretched out my hands and my brows furrowed in confusion, not understanding what could be all over the kitchen floor that she had spilt and not cleaned up.

"Gran? Did you spill something in the kitchen?" I shouted.

No response…I could've _sworn_ I'd seen her light on.

"Gran?" I called out again.

The silence that I was met with rang in my ears and an eerie feeling creepy-crawled across my skin. I glanced around in the dark, bringing my hands up toward my face in an attempt to see them better. The liquid covering them was dark, _very_ dark, and kind of…warm.

"No." I murmured to myself, pushing away familiar thoughts. "No. No, no…_no_."

I quickly lifted myself from the floor, ignoring my slipping and sliding motion as I determinedly staggered to my feet by using the counter's edge to pull myself up slowly. I finally made it and lurched across the counter, feeling out the switch that I had almost had before instantly, and flipped the damn thing into the on position.

Red.

_Everything_ was red.

Counter top, floor, spatter on the ceiling, the table, the cabinets, the door…red, _blood-red_.

My eyes landed on the stained body of my grandmother in front of me, blood soaked through her nightgown, hair, staining her skin and hands. I gasped for air, my scream catching and breaking in my throat as I hit my knees beside her and pushed the bloody hair from her face.

"Gran?" I murmured, my voice barely above a whisper. "_Gran_!"

I shook her, screamed at her, yelled and cried for her to wake up and stop lying there in a heap of blood stains unmoving.

But it _didn't_ work.

I screamed as I held her to me, as I felt the blood that was slowly seeping from the cuts in her body soak into my dress lazily, crawling up the patterned fabric slowly like it was its life mission to turn the pale color of my dress the dark red of my grandmother's life-force. I screamed until I could do it no more and I simply sat back, scrambling away from the body that was turning cold until I was up against the wall. I stared down at myself, watching as the blood stained my skin on my bare legs and arms along with my dress. I stared at Gran who had been so happy only a few hours ago, who had talked to me so comfortingly and lovingly earlier in the morning, who was now…not breathing.

_Dead_.

I vaguely picked up on the noise of a heavy fist pounding on the front door incessantly, shouting coming through it even though it was muffled by the wooden frame. I whimpered quietly, still not able to speak as memories of my mother's death and my grandmother's flashed in my mind and stayed steady in my vision, mixing together to form one massive thought of blood and despair.

"_Annabelle_!" A deep voice shouted from behind me, laced with worry and something else.

I froze, not even realizing until that moment I had been rocking back and forth and crying dry tears. What if it was the killer? What if they were back to get me?

"Annabelle _look_ at me!" It shouted again.

My nails dug into the palm of my hand as I slowly turned. I sucked in huge, gasping breaths of air to fill my lungs when my vision cleared enough to take in the looming form of Eric who stood frozen at the back door, denied entrance to the house by whatever mystical power kept them from entering without invitation.

"Annabelle, you have to _invite_ me in." He murmured, his voice turned to one of soothing as he did, gazing down on me with an unreadable expression.

I opened my mouth and tried to speak, the words came out in my head, but all that came out vocally was a weird gasping sound. I shook my head in annoyance at myself, missing Eric's narrowed-eyed glance before he understood what I was trying to convey.

"Belle, you _need_ to invite me in. Invite me in so I can help you." Eric tried again.

I shut my eyes as his shaky but smooth tone glided across my senses, calling on something deeply inside of me. I nodded, my eyes opening again as I sucked in another breath, determined to do it this time. Clearing my throat I tried again.

"Eric you can come-"

"Belle? _Belle_! Are you…what the _hell_ are _you_ doing here?" Sookie's concerned voice turned to one of anger as she took in Eric's looming form leaning across the door frame.

I gasped quietly, shaking my head as I tried to stagger to my feet. "No! Sookie _don't_ come in here!"

At my pleading gaze Eric turned to my cousin, slightly annoyed I could tell, but still yet doing as I silently asked. "Miss. Stackhouse, I don't think you should-"

"Get _out_ of my way! Why are you even _here_? Belle what is going-"

Sookie's voice dropped out from one of outrage to a choking gasp as her eyes landed first on me in my blood-stained glory and then on the body of our grandmother laid across the kitchen floor after she pushed her way around Eric. She couldn't speak, was slowly going through the exact reaction I had experienced as her foot slipped on a small puddle of blood closer to the door. I sucked in a breath, noticing the spotted clouds in my vision slowly as my body seemed to lose the ability to hold itself upright.

"Annabelle you need to invite me in _now_!" Eric's voice tore through my hazy mind, worry clear this time.

I tried looking up at him, confusion clouding my already cloudy brain at his tone, but my eyes didn't seem to be working right. Everything was closing in, getting harder to see.

"Come in Eric." I whispered, my voice sounding far away from where I actually was.

It was then that my legs gave out, and I dimly realized I was about to lose consciousness. I fell toward the floor, the pitch black darkness quickly swarming up to meet me, wrapping me in coolness that was hard and unmoving like marble. I shivered slightly before curling into it, thankful for the buzzing hum of not thinking anymore.

Gran was dead. Mom was dead.

Just…_dead_.


	15. Chapter Fifteen

**Author's Note: **My wonderfully amazing readers- thank you all so very much for the kind words and prayers that you have given me. I can't even begin to explain how I feel about the loss of my father, but your words of encouragement and promise to continue watching and reading, as well as your prayers for my family and I, have lifted me up through this terrible time. I found myself staring into space, my mind racing a million miles a minute, and finally decided to do something productive. So, here is a new installment in Eric and Belle's love affair. I hope you all enjoy it.

I still can't promise constant updates and I hope you all continue to understand. However, when I do get the time and a chapter does pull itself together, I won't hesitate to post it for you. I'm just as eager to watch Belle and Eric's relationship grow. (Bellic? Bellric? Lol!)

Thank you again for all the new views, favorites and follows.

Make sure you tell your loved ones how you feel everyday, you never know when it will be your last chance. Love you all, and happy reading.

**Disclaimer: I do NOT own True Blood (seriously, I wish I did), its characters, or any other copyrighted/trademarked material that may be mentioned in this story. I DO own my original character, Annabelle Carnevare, and those OC's of her family members.**

* * *

_When the blood of another calls to you, it cannot be ignored.  
Come what may, you will follow the call of  
their blood to yours without fail._

* * *

_~Annabelle's POV~_

Muffled voices filtered through my ears, touching my senses lightly before fading then surging back in to touch them yet again. Vaguely it reminded me of waves, cresting high then dipping down before crashing into the shoreline on the beach, crawling up the sand then slipping back into the ocean once again. My brain fought the unconscious current as I slowly filtered back into the land of the living (_and_ undead), my eyes blinking lazily as they tried to focus on what was around me.

People, _lots_ of people actually.

That's what was around me.

Sookie sat across from me on the couch opposite me, Sam was hunched over and trying to speak quietly to her in comfort. I could dimly hear the voices of the Sheriff and that dick of a detective I didn't like in _any_ way, shape or form coming from the kitchen. Two other voices echoed from the direction of the kitchen as well, but I didn't recognize them.

And then there was the gentle hum.

The hum that signified a vampire was near, blocking out the thoughts of all those around me unless I really tried to hear them.

My eyes cut to the left and I saw the giant form of Eric there in the den, his back to me as he spoke adamantly with another person in front of him. My eyes narrowed and I fought to remember where he'd come from before my eyes widened as the memory of inviting him into the house surged forward. As if he'd heard me thinking of him or as if he'd felt me come-to (which he probably did) Eric's head swung around sharply, his dark blue eyes meeting mine. They roamed over my body quickly, assessing that I was generally alright before he held up a single finger and turned back to the person he'd been speaking to. I squinted in hazy concentration and recognized Bill's worried face that was mixed with anger as his eyes first landed on me and then on Sookie.

"_All this blood…must be thirty stab wounds…ripped her open…holy hell we've got ourselves a serial killer."_

I winced as the disgusting thought broke through the guards I'd put up and the gentle hum of Eric and Bill's presence. I wasn't the only one that had heard it; Sookie darted up from her seated position and hurried out of the front door to the dark and deserted porch. I gripped the back of the couch and slowly lifted myself into a sitting position, worried about my cousin.

"_Are you mad at me?"_ I questioned her mentally, sending the thought directly to her.

"_No! God no Belle, I just couldn't sit in there anymore with all those thoughts about Gran…I just…I couldn't."_ Her mental voice replicated what her actual one would be, broken and sad.

I nodded even though I knew she couldn't see me as my eyes wandered over the living room furniture, still completely numb from the shock of finding my grandmother bloody and ripped open on the kitchen floor. I sucked in a ragged breath as once again the memory of finding her merged with flashes from my mother's death. Blood coating tiles and flooring, cabinets, their hair and bodies. The nausea rose and I sucked in deep gulps of air to push it back, nearly missing the soothing mental words of my cousin even though she too was going through almost the same thing.

"_Have Bill come out there. He'll give you silence."_ I suggested to her after a few minutes of not speaking.

A few moments later I saw Sam shuffle into the house back through the semi-open front door like a dog with its tail between its legs. He approached the two vampires cautiously, murmuring something about Sookie to them in hushed tones. Bill immediately ended the conversation with Eric he had been submerged in and zipped through the front door, leaving Eric to stride slowly over to me. He eased himself into a sitting position on the couch to my right as his shoulder connected with my back because of the way I was turned and I shuddered when his coolness moved over my skin.

"I forget that I'm-" His deep whisper echoed through my silent mind as he moved forward some.

I grabbed onto his arm immediately and drug him back, shaking my head. "No don't. It's fine, it feels…good. You keep away the…noise."

Eric's sharp gaze searched my eyes as he sunk back into the couch again, resuming his original position. We had yet to have the discussion of what I could do, what abilities I had, though I'm pretty sure he was _more_ than aware or he at least had his suspicions based on what had happened in Fangtasia the night I'd gone with Sookie and Bill to clear Jason's name. Obviously he could sense something was up since he'd made the comment earlier in the evening about me not being entirely human.

Silence settled between us, though it wasn't uncomfortable, as I gazed at him. He looked almost comical, his giant form folded into a cramped sitting position on the low couch. His knees bent were almost practically level with my chest. A small giggle rose up inside of me and slipped out almost silently, though it remained unnoticed.

By everyone _except_ Eric that is.

My thoughts became serious as something occurred to me in the next minute though, wiping away any trace of a smile.

"I jinxed it." I murmured.

His sharp eyes turned back to me at my words from gazing around the room.

"Jinxed what?" Eric asked quietly.

"Her. I jinxed _her_. I never should've been talking about my mother's death, it jinxed her and now she's _dead_." I spoke quietly but strongly.

Inside I knew the logic wasn't rational, that I was grasping for anything to try and make what Sookie and I were now faced with make sense. I couldn't think of why anyone would want to hurt Gran, a woman who was loved by the entire community of Bon Temps, so I had to come up with illogical reasons for it…and blaming myself seemed like a good enough idea.

"No you did not." Eric murmured lowly, his arm settling behind my back.

I bit down on my lip when I detected what sounded like a faint tone of comfort in his smooth and deep voice, although I wasn't positive, and the oldness of his words appeared again to betray his age. His cool, long fingers traced their way slowly over my bare shoulder and I closed my eyes at the touch, a single tear slipping out from the corner of my eye, gliding its way down my cheek. To my complete surprise, Eric caught it on his right hand's finger before he slipped it in his mouth quickly to taste. An angry sound came from across the room and it jerked me out of my wide-eyed stare at the blonde vampire in front of me.

"Annabelle I don't think you should be sitting with _him_, you should be resting. Why don't you go upstairs?" Sam growled out, glaring at Eric.

Without warning, I heard a faint clicking sound and knew that Eric's fangs had descended and locked into place. His lip would be curling up to display them and Sam's wide-eyed look of shock was enough to put to rest any doubts that I'd had about my theory. Eric had stiffened next to me almost instantly at Sam's words and his arm was now clamped down across my shoulders in an almost possessive stance that surprised the hell out of me.

"I doubt that _you_ of all people have any right to make decisions for her." Eric snarled, shifting on the plush couch to stand.

I dropped my hand on his thigh quickly, hoping to hold him in place. Instead he stood anyway and latched onto me. In less than a second I was standing and Eric had settled me by his side and slightly behind him, another protective and possessive stance that left me staring at him in slight confusion.

Was it just that vampires did this when other guys tried to tell them what they could and couldn't do with the girls around them?

Or was this something…_else_?

"_Shut up Annabelle, you're reading too much into this."_ My inner-voice rolled her eyes at me.

"You should stay away from her. Both of you should stay away from them, you're going to get them _killed_." Sam seethed, ignoring the clear warning signs in front of him.

Mistake.

Eric had him by the throat and up against the beam that separated the living room from the foyer before I could even blink, lifting the man clean off his feet. I stood, shocked, as Sam coughed and choked while Eric murmured something low enough that I couldn't hear it near the man's face. Sam instantly stopped fighting against him and my eyes narrowed in curiosity.

But I didn't have time to ask questions, this _definitely_ wasn't the time and place for a supernatural brawl.

"Eric," I murmured quietly. "You need to put him down. I _don't_ want the police blaming you for this."

His stance stiffened and he continued to stare at the man he held in his hands. Sam's worried eyes darted back and forth between me and the vampire in front of him that basically had him in a death grip. I knew that there was nothing I could do if Eric actually wanted to kill him, that's why I didn't make a big deal out of it, plus I was too numb to go completely nuts. I just spoke quietly, logically, hopefully enough that it'd bring Eric out of his anger and back to the situation at hand.

"_Please_ Eric." I murmured again.

It did the trick.

Eric slowly lowered Sam to the floor and I heard the faint sound of his fangs retracting from sight. I breathed a quiet sigh of relief as Eric fluidly stepped away from the man in front of us almost at the same time Sheriff Dearborne and Detective Bellefleur rounded the corner from the kitchen to walk straight toward me. Eric loomed up by my side, watching the men approaching as his arm settled behind me, his hand pressing into the small of my back, though that was the extent of the touching. It was made to look possessive in front of the other men without putting me at ill ease.

"Miss. Carnevare, you're awake. How are you feeling?" the Sheriff asked quietly.

I stared at him blankly and felt Eric tense beside me. My silence seemed to indicate what I felt I didn't need to verbally, the fact was that my grandmother was dead, I had found her, and he was an _idiot_ for asking such a thing.

"We'd like to ask you a few questions, if you don't mind." The Sheriff's eyes darted between me and Eric's looming form that had taken on a more protective stance than before, hauling me into his side.

I was silent for a moment, gazing blankly at him yet again in disbelief, and it was enough for Eric to jump in over me.

"She minds." Eric's voice was low, almost too quiet to hear, but it was clearly laced with warning.

"It wasn't really a _request_ so much as a courtesy." The Sheriff said.

I sighed deeply and unthinkingly slipped an arm around Eric's waist to squeeze it in silent communication. AKA- _Don't_ rip these people's heads off because they're _stupid_. When I'd finished I let go of him, blushing slightly as my mind slowly registered the contact I had made with him. Eric only gazed at me, watching every move I made or expression I had, and I dimly got the feeling that if I even indicated I wanted to be done with this, he'd end it.

"It's fine. What would you like to ask me?" I murmured, gazing back over at the men in front of me.

"You found Mrs. Stackhouse, is that correct?" The Sheriff asked.

I swallowed and closed my eyes before nodding. "Yes, that's correct, I found my _grandmother_."

"And the reason you returned so late is?" Dearborne questioned, his brow arching in judgment.

My eyes flitted to Eric before I narrowed them at the Sheriff. "I'm sorry, but I don't believe what I do with my personal life has _anything_ to do with finding my dead grandmother."

"It might have more to do with it than you believe." Dearborne shot back, gazing at me in disapproval.

He turned away from me and to Eric, obviously dismissing me. "We'd like to speak with you and Mr. Compton, _alone_."

I glared at the men in front of me in outrage, completely pissed about being treated in such a way in my own home and I wasn't too numb to realize it. I was about to open my mouth when Eric leaned down and pressed his lips to my ear, sending a shiver directly down my spine as he spoke.

"It's alright Belle. I'll take care of it." Eric murmured, his voice hard and sure.

I was still pissed but I nodded, conceding to the idea that it was best if the two vampires handled the whole thing anyway. I was still in shock and obviously wasn't handling myself as well around police as I had been brought up to, and Sookie was barely speaking. Eric's low voice sounded out next to me as he guided me to the front door.

"Bill the police want to speak with us. Come inside."

I glanced around for the other vampire for a moment before I remembered their keen senses and smiled a little as I passed Bill while he walked in and I walked out before I settled myself on the front steps next to Sookie. We were silent for a while, both of us sitting side by side, our bodies touching as we stared out into the night sky.

"_You okay?"_ Sookie's mental voice filled my brain and I sighed audibly.

"_Not really. You?"_ I asked her in return.

"_Not really."_ She replied, leaning into me more heavily.

Her head settled on my shoulder and mine settled on top of hers as our thoughts continued to trade back and forth between each other, never issuing a sound.

"_Those guys are bastards."_ I thought darkly_. "They've got absolutely no sensitivity."_

"_I know. Especially with vampires around. Dearborne can't stand the idea of…well you know_." Sookie's voice filled my mind.

"_It's the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard. Is it really that big of a deal down here?"_ I asked heatedly.

A few minutes of silence passed, my question remained unanswered, and I could vaguely hear the sound of voices floating out from the house. It was Eric and Bill's trading off in answer to Dearborne's many prying questions.

"_Belle?" _

"_Hmm?" _

"_Why was Eric here tonight?"_ Sookie asked curiously.

I sighed again before answering. _"He showed up at the meeting wanting to talk. We went and got something to eat…well I did at least. Then he brought me home."_

I mentally set up certain walls, blocking the memories of Eric tasting my blood and of my undeniable attraction toward him from her wondering mind. I had been expecting this question to eventually come and didn't want to cause a stir with either of the former tidbits of knowledge.

"_You don't think he…?"_ She murmured mentally.

"_No! Sookie he hadn't even been invited in until you were there. Besides, no vampire could leave all that blood, you know that."_ I chastised gently.

"_I know…it was just weird seeing him rush in to keep you from falling like that. And he held onto you for a long time. He didn't really seem to act like Bill said he would."_ She mused.

I was about to say something in return when the sound of the screen door creaking as it swung open distracted Sookie and I from our mental conversation. Right behind the creaking came the sound of hurried and heavy footsteps before cool hands gripped my arms and lifted me to stand while another set did the same to Sookie on my left. I looked up in surprise to find Eric and couldn't even speak before he was moving me quickly away from the door while Bill repeated his actions yet again with Sookie.

"What's going on?" Sookie questioned, her eyes darting back to me and Eric behind her as Bill pulled her forward.

"They're moving your grandmother." Bill's quiet voice echoed back to me and I gasped a little.

Eric's hands tightened on me reflexively at the small sound and I leaned into him a little more, not even embarrassed this time. I needed his extra vampire strength because I absolutely couldn't believe that in less than a year...

I was doing this for the _second_ time.


	16. Chapter Sixteen

**Author's Note:** More space staring and late night rewatching of True Blood brought on a new chapter! I hope you all enjoy Belleric's continuing adventures together! This one is all Annabelle, but the next one will be all Eric I think (yay for those of you who'd life Eric's POV again!). Thanks so much for all new favorites, follows, views and reviews!

I still can't promise constant updates and I hope you all continue to understand. However, when I do get the time and a chapter does pull itself together, I won't hesitate to post it for you. I'm just as eager to watch Belle and Eric's relationship grow.

Happy Reading!

**Disclaimer: I do NOT own True Blood (I should), its characters, or any other copyrighted/trademarked material that may be mentioned in this story. I DO own my original character, Annabelle Carnevare, and those OC's of her family members.**

* * *

_Run now, mourn later._

* * *

_~Annabelle's POV~_

I was quickly unraveling.

It's not something that I'm proud of, by any means. I was taught to be strong at all costs, to not break down, and to keep up the physical façade of strength even in my weakest moments. But walking into a murder scene so similar to my own mother's and finding Gran in a pool of blood was quickly crumbling the walls that I had manifested to keep up the charade _and_ keep the thoughts of the people around me out. They were quickly filling my brain, pouring in like my skull was a glass and the thoughts were lemonade in the pitcher.

Even the vampire's presence wasn't helping.

The thoughts were forcing their way through the blocks and the gentle hum, riddling my mind with imagines I didn't want to see, musings and ideas the coroner and police shared about my grandmother's involvement with 'fangers' as they put it. It turned my stomach and made me feel so sick that I was barely able to keep myself standing.

"_Belle, you have to calm down!" _

Sookie's worried mental shout burst through my mind like a firework of bright colors as my senses recognized my cousin's specific mental fingerprint that was so similar to my own over the unfamiliar ones of the people around me. My head swung her way and I felt how wide and large my eyes were, they mirrored her own. Quickly, her worry and sadness over our murdered grandmother was turning to fear for me.

"_She must be on something…that's too much of a reaction to this…"_ Dearborne's thoughts rang clear in my mind, blindingly loud.

I cringed at the sharp sting of pain behind my eyes when the thoughts got too loud, too close. And when they were just plain rude.

"…_gonna have a mental breakdown…her slut of a momma died the same…family of freaks…"_

I sucked in a gasp, missing the identical one coming from Sookie as my eyes flew away from her to seek out the owner of the thoughts. The balding and crass man wearing a coroner's vest was calling out to make room from the inside of the house, glancing over at me as he backed out of the open screen door with Gran's body zipped up in the ever-familiar black body bag. Dimly, I felt Eric's hands tighten on my shoulder and hip as he attempted to turn me from the sight, but I refused to move. Instead I watched as the man continued to think disgusting thoughts about my family that were uncalled for while he and his assistant deposited the body bag into the black van with a quiet thud.

"The two of you should really think about sleeping at a friend's, someplace less isolated."

The detective's words spoken from across the porch floated through one of my ears and out the other, barely registering as I watched the coroner shut the van doors. The familiar sharp slam of metal on metal had me jumping in Eric's grasp, another thing I hardly noticed. Sookie's words about us staying here just fine filtered through my ears and I shook my head violently in disagreement, only to be hushed by Eric.

"_Both of them are lucky it's not one of them in that bag right now…screwing these vampires…they'll be next…"_

Dearborne's thoughts brought a snarl to my lips that almost reminded me of Eric's as I took a step toward the man, my panic and fear quickly morphing into red-hot anger, but the vampire in question clamped down his hold on me, rooting me in place, and Sookie grabbed hold of my hand. Immediately I calmed as her soothing voice flowed into my mind over the cranky and almost sinister thoughts of the old and prejudiced sheriff in front of us and Eric's coolness ghosted over my skin.

"We're truly sorry about your grandmother." Dearborne spoke.

My lip curled in disgust.

I knew how he _really_ felt.

Sookie spoke with him about rather or not they had finished up in the house because she wanted to clean up the mess and the mental image of all the blood had my stomach lurching as I worked to suck in new and clean lungful's of air. They told us to call at the first sign of trouble and it took all I had not to roll my eyes or bite out some sarcastic remark in response to their fake concern. When I turned to run my fingers through my hair nervously, I noticed just the faint traces of a smirk on Eric's lips and wondered what he could be smirking about.

Probably my attitude.

Eric and I stayed silent as Sam and Bill tried to convince Sookie to stay somewhere else other than the house. Silently I was agreeing wholeheartedly, and becoming increasingly anxious as her stubbornness persisted.

The _last_ place I wanted to stay tonight was inside that house.

"Besides, Belle and I have the three of _you_ to protect us haven't we?" Sookie murmured, glancing around at all of us.

Eric and Bill's eyes met briefly and something inside me seemed to pull painfully. I glanced around and wondered what it could be, not understanding my sudden uneasiness.

"Sookie, I have to go. Eric and I both…" Bill murmured, trailing off.

And then it hit me.

Eric and Bill were vampires and sunshine didn't exactly mix well with their undead condition. They could hardly stay awake during the day to help watch over us considering they'd burn to a crisp and well…die.

_Again_.

"Dawn, it's almost dawn." I whispered out, my voice catching heavily.

"Of course." Sookie murmured with a nod, staring at Bill.

For a moment I was brought out of my nervous and numb state as I watched the two preparing to separate, and returned back to the teasing little sister/big sister relationship that Sookie and I had begun to establish through the past few days of me living here.

"_Could you look at him any more like you love him?"_ I snipped, a small smile tracing my lips.

"_Shut it."_ Sookie countered without facing me. _"I'm not even going to start on you and Eric."_

I rolled my eyes mentally, Eric and I _weren't_ the same, and he was just being nice, watching out for me for whatever reason. Probably because he was curious about what I was more than anything else.

"But I _will_ come back later." Bill murmured strongly.

I snickered mentally and she huffed.

Bill took off a few moments later but not before Sam stepped up to play the role of a territorial defender of Sookie, and in turn, me. _Apparently_ he hadn't learned his lesson after confronting Eric, but Bill didn't handle it the same way the tall blonde next to me did. Sam remained standing on the porch and wasn't nearly ripped apart with sharp fangs. A few moments passed and an awkward silence settled on us that I had just barely noticed before looking up from the flowers surrounding the porch.

"Shouldn't you be going…" Sam murmured slowly to Eric, cautiously.

I furrowed my brow in confusion and turned to look at him quizzically. "Why aren't you going to ground like Bill?"

A smirk dawned his lips in full view. "I am older than Compton. I can stay up longer…_much_ longer."

Sookie and Sam stared between Eric and me as he looked down on me with a growing smirk and I fidgeted some while a blush stained my cheeks, biting my lip at his obvious innuendo. I could hear Sookie mentally freaking out and wondering just how involved with Eric I was, but I chose to ignore it and let a small smirk appear on my own lips instead.

His smirk only grew wider.

And I felt the heated flames of desire I'd felt when he dropped me off flare to life, despite everything that was going on.

A few moments of awkward silence passed as we didn't break eye-contact, almost like it was a game, and our audience grew more and more uncomfortable. Sookie's voice is what finally broke me out of the staring challenge with Eric I had found myself in, and I turned to watch her ask Sam to go around back and find a mop and some cleaning equipment. Immediately the tiny bit of a good mood and the inner heatedness Eric's games had given me disappeared and a chill (_non_-Eric provoked) ran throughout my body when I realized Sookie meant to clean up the bloody and gruesome scene tonight.

"Belle? We should probably get you up to bed." Sookie murmured worriedly, reaching out toward me.

I had been staring toward the front door after my realization struck, just able to see the kitchen archway from the angle I stood at, and had crossed my arms tightly over my chest as my breathing came in short and shallow bursts. I knew she only wanted to comfort me, was only worried about what the night's events had brought back into the forefront of my mind.

She could _see_ it after all.

But I shrunk away from her outstretched hand, backing up until I connected with something solid. I had thought it'd be the side of the house but in actuality it was Eric, a realization that hit me once the hum in my mind intensified at the touch of my back to his chest and the coolness I was now coming to associate with his touch spread over me slowly. I would've had time to be embarrassed if I _wasn't_ scared shitless at the idea of sleeping in that house.

Sookie looked hurt and I winced some, but it didn't change the fear.

Or the fact that I'd sleep in Donatello before I slept in there tonight.

"Sook…I don't, I mean I…I just _can't_…" I stuttered out, trying to make her understand my movements, my demeanor.

But words weren't coming easily. Let's be honest, they were completely evading me and I was a stumbling, stuttering, incoherent mess. She looked at me confused and her eyes darted sharply to Eric who stood behind me. I kept trying to speak, to make her _understand,_ but finally a cool hand making contact with my flushed skin at the crook of my neck silenced me. I took deep breaths and tried to still the shaking my body had seemed to adopt as its go-to coping mechanism before the night's quietness was broken by the low murmur of the vampire behind me.

"You can stay…with me."

Eric's tone was strange, unsure in its offer almost like he was making it against his better judgment or against his will. I turned toward him, pulling my body from his grasp, and looked at him uncertainly. He seemed just as uncertain but it was a brief flash that was soon smoothed and covered up, so quickly that I doubt Sookie even noticed it.

But _I_ did.

"You…you're offering to let me _stay_-" I began, confusion coloring my tone but otherwise my voice was unhindered.

"I _don't_ think that's such a good idea." Sookie's strong voice cut over mine quickly.

I turned toward her now as I felt Eric stiffen behind me even though we weren't touching, it was just like everything around him became coiled with tension. Sookie looked strong, a slight bit angry, and unrelenting. A flare of annoyance burned bright inside me before I quelled it, knowing she was only being protective of me.

After all, besides Jason, we were now all each other had left.

"Sookie, I'll be _fine_." I murmured soothingly.

I hadn't even actually decided to go with Eric yet, even though deep down I _knew_ there wasn't a chance I'd not go with him. It was like the decision wasn't up to me, like there was absolutely no other choice but to leave and follow him when he left. Sookie and I stared at each other, both completely stubborn, before I felt the familiar sound of her thoughts pulling at me and our mental conversation began.

_"Belle, you don't even really know him!"_ She hissed, annoyed.

_"Oh and you know Bill so well?"_ I scoffed in return. _"That didn't keep you from-"_

_"Bill's never tried to drain me of my life!"_ She retorted, cutting me off yet again.

_"Eric's never tried to do that with me either. Jesus Sook, you can't just believe everything Bill tells you and call it good. You don't know Eric."_ I sighed.

We had both adopted stances that mirrored each other's as we stood facing each other on the old porch, hands on cocked hips and eyes boring into the others. In reality we weren't even really seeing, we were both sucked into our minds as we argued, completely missing Eric's curious glances between the two of us and Sam's outraged return at finding Eric still here and Sookie with him and I.

_"He could kill you."_ Sookie said, worry replacing the anger and softening her features.

My own softened in return. _"He won't Sook."_

_"How do you even know that!"_ She exclaimed.

I turned distractedly and glanced at Eric for a moment. His long blonde hair was swinging forward and to the side as his head tilted in contemplation while he watched my cousin and I as we faced off. I could clearly see the wheels of wondering turning in his mind, trying to piece together what exactly was happening at this precise moment in time.

_"I just…do."_ I answered.

She huffed quietly and I turned back in time to find her rolling her eyes, an action that I repeated back to her as I took a step forward and spoke aloud.

"I _can't_ stay here tonight Sookie, you know…you _know_ why. Please, just let me do this." I murmured sadly.

The truth was, I didn't have to let _her_ let _me_ do anything. I was an adult, old enough and able to support myself if so needed, and she couldn't tell me what to do. She _could _kick me out though, and I really didn't want that. She had quickly become close to me, I regarded her as more than a cousin, and I didn't want to lose her. I heard her quiet sigh as I let my worry about everything shine through, a silent expression of words and feelings that she understood easily.

Finally, after a few more minutes, she nodded in agreement, hushing Sam's immediate protests. I sighed deeply and instantly hugged her tightly, thankful that she understood what I was trying to tell her without me actually having to spell it out for her.

A few more minutes passed that were filled with me taking the stairs two at a time and throwing a few of the things I'd need for the night and the next day in a tote bag and my goodbyes with Sookie that were interrupted by a slightly apprehensive Eric. No one else would pick up on it, but I could tell he was getting nervous about getting back to wherever in the hell it was we were going before sunrise, so I quickly disentangled myself from Sookie.

Eric reached out with his long fingers and snagged my bag from my shoulder, something that once again surprised me immensely, and guided me to his car. I folded myself into it easily and not even five minutes later I found myself in a silent sleek sports car with a tall blonde vampire speeding into the unknown.

I was running, it didn't take a genius to figure that out. Running from my mother's death, my past, and my present.

But I didn't really care.


	17. Chapter Seventeen

**Author's Note:** New chapter, excited for this one because it's all from Eric's POV! Tell me what you think of it, if you like the way I channel him or not. I really hope you do, it was fun to try and think of how he might react to Belle being with him and what he might say/think. Hope you all enjoy! Thank you so much for all new reviews, views, favorites and follows! You guys are totally great!

I still can't promise constant updates and I hope you all continue to understand. However, when I do get the time and a chapter does pull itself together, I won't hesitate to post it for you. I'm just as eager to watch Belle and Eric's relationship grow.

Go team Belleric!

Happy Reading!

**Disclaimer: I do NOT own True Blood (I should), its characters, or any other copyrighted/trademarked material that may be mentioned in this story. I DO own my original character, Annabelle Carnevare, and those OC's of her family members.**

* * *

_Many underestimate the power of the blood.  
It is a grave mistake for it pulses and flows, a representation of life itself._

* * *

_~Eric's POV~_

There was _something_ about her, something wild and untapped that he couldn't put his finger on, couldn't fully figure out. She was plaguing his thoughts in a nonstop occurrence, driving him to a madness that his child was more than happy to comment on, earning her a fangy snarl in reply.

The girl had walked into his bar, breezed was more like it, as a vision in white and gold. She had shimmered from her power as much as she had from the many stones and crystals adorning her dress and heels. Eric hadn't been able to look away from her for long and couldn't resist toying with the girl after summoning her up to his throne along with the pompous Bill Compton and his pet. Annabelle was _everything_ he was not, and much of what he was at the same time.

Tempting, tantalizing, captivating.

Eric wanted her, needed her..._craved_ her.

And he didn't know _why_.

That's what made it all the more infuriating. The not understanding why, why _this_ girl, _this_ human, was affecting him in such a potent manner. He was over a thousand years old, literally a Viking, and Eric Northman had _never_ been so enthralled with a human before in his entire vampire life, possibly even his human one.

He blamed that fact for his rash judgment and hasty decision to accompany the girl home after the raid on his bar she and her cousin were somehow mentally aware of before the fact. He blamed it for his involuntary action of gripping her hand before they ran, for threading his fingers through hers without thinking. It was an act he hadn't mimicked since before, during his human life. He blamed it for the fact that he _couldn't_ stay away from her, despite his earnest attempts to leave her alone and the fact that Pamela would give him even more hell for breaking down and going to the girl. He blamed it for the resemblance of a feeling, something like concern; she had sparked in him as he'd watched her in the church, clearly in a panic. He blamed it for his possessive and jealous nature that surged forward to nearly claim her in front of that pain in the ass Compton and for the near snarls he had emitted when she showed any other male attention. He blamed it for his obvious flirting, his brooding mood...his bold move of sweeping the blood from her lip earlier that night with his thumb to taste the sweet liquid that _called_ to him the moment it touched his tongue.

He blamed it for the situation he _now_ found himself in, the girl riding shotgun next to him as they raced against the sunrise back to Fangtasia and his extra bedroom...where she would be staying...with him.

Oh yes, Eric Northman blamed it.

Eric ran his tongue over his lip, still deep in thought, and felt as it instinctually navigated between his fangs which had lengthened at the thought of her sweet blood sliding over his tongue. He felt himself stiffen some and tried to discreetly rearrange himself so that Annabelle wouldn't notice. They were only a few minutes from the bar and he doubted she needed to be confronted by that sizable image when he helped her from the low seat of the car. Even though he was quite old and downright ruthless, Eric was not unaware of the pain that came with losing someone to murder, he'd experienced that himself. As those thoughts crept through his brain though, another tickled his senses.

He'd _heard_ her scream.

Perfectly explainable of course, he was a vampire of great age which meant he had fantastic hearing and could've easily picked up on her scream from a great distance (though he wasn't entirely sure that it had _just_ been on the wind).

What _wasn't_ explainable though, was her fear.

He had _felt_ her fear easily as if they shared a blood bond, something Eric didn't usually establish with another unless the creature he bonded himself to was of great value. He had never _once_ bonded himself to any of the many lust-driven companions he'd shown to his well-equipped basement, nor any other human girl he'd been with. Despite the sheer impossibility of it though, he had _felt_ her fear and terror spill through his blood, mixing with it as if it were his own, clouding his mind and making it impossible to not return to her.

But they shared no blood bond.

She'd _never_ had even a single drop of his blood and Eric had only tasted a few drops of hers. So how could he explain being able to feel something from her he simply couldn't with any vampire logic and shouldn't be able to?

He _couldn't_.

The sharp clearing of a throat next to him though called him from his musings about the night's experiences.

"Eric, if this is such a big deal I don't have to stay. I'll call a cab when we get there."

Her quiet voice was abashed and shy, something Annabelle hadn't been at any point since he'd met her. A sharp tug at his undead and still heart had his brows furrowing as he pushed away whatever feeling was rising at the sound of her tone.

"It is fine." Eric replied, his own tone quiet and thoughtful.

His words seemed to relax her some because he felt her relax her straight, stiffened spine into the plush leather of the Corvette and Eric heard her heartbeat ease its frantic fluttering next to him. He'd been so preoccupied in his thoughts, he hadn't even _noticed_ the fact that she had been so nervous, that her heart had been pumping at an almost frantic pace. The consequence was that the scent of her blood had grown even more potent and now filled the interior of the sleek car, causing his fangs to lengthen once more involuntarily and his attempts to readjust himself quickly became useless as he stiffened further. Something that, judging by the faint tinting of pink across her fair skin, she noticed.

_And_ possibly liked.

Eric's smirk grew at the thought as he whipped the car into his private space back behind the bar near the rear entrance only he and Pam had access to. Using his increased speed, Eric had her out of the car and inside the light-tight and cramped hallways before she could even blink. He grinned almost boyishly as she pressed her hands to his chest and stomach in an attempt to steady herself on her feet and gaze around them to take in her new surroundings. As soon as she realized what she was doing though, Annabelle quickly stepped back from him as a blush colored her cheeks.

He purposefully ignored the slight pang inside him at her lack of touch warming him through his tightcut black t-shirt.

"Through here Miss. Carnevare, if you please." Eric smirked.

Her brow arched and he could almost see her physically attempt to hold in the sarcastic reply that was _obviously_ itching to spill from her lips. She struggled for a moment, but soon she nodded and followed along in the direction he had held his long, leather clad arm out in. She looked at him questioningly when she reached a closed door and he nodded in affirmation, prompting her to twist the knob and push the door open gently. Eric snaked his hand around the door frame fluidly, flicking the light switch into its on position to reveal the room in front of them.

It was simple, modern yet extravagant, fit to his tastes, and he didn't really think anything of it.

But the smug smile that played on her lips had him wondering what was going on in her mind, what she saw in the furnished room with just a few personal touches that he didn't. He kept the inquisition hidden in his features though, and she offered no explanation as she stepped forward tentatively to the side, giving him enough room to pass through the wide door and shut it behind him with a strong thud and soft click of the lock sliding into place. Annabelle's eyes widened some and Eric watched with smug satisfaction as she caught on to the fact that he was standing in the room with her and _wouldn't_ be leaving, that they'd be bedding together for the night and day.

She cleared her throat, quickly wiping off the nervous yet excited and surprised expression that had graced her features.

But not before Eric had seen it and his smirk had grown.

"_Eric_," she spoke finally.

"There are extra shirts and things if you need anything through there." Eric cut over her as he pointed to the walk-in closet's door, not giving her time to panic. "I'm going to shower before I sleep. Make yourself comfortable."

He stepped away from her and toward the door to the left side of the room that led into his private bathroom. He didn't make it far though because her hand suddenly snaked out and latched onto his. Eric gazed at their connected hands for a moment in surprise before he looked back up toward her face, taking in her expression. She was nervous and embarrassed but determined to do whatever it was she was planning.

"Thank you Eric." She murmured softly, so softly that only a vampire would be able to hear her words. "_Really_."

Her grip tightened on his quickly, squeezing his hand in hers, and then it was gone. Annabelle stepped back and released his hand, not looking up at him as she did. Eric didn't know what to say or do, this wasn't something he usually did. Feelings and emotions were things he could easily evade due to his undead nature, things he didn't have to allow in.

But with _her_, something was different. It was once again like he had no choice in the matter.

Like he'd feel and follow her rather he wanted to or not.

* * *

Eric ended up saying nothing, only returning her thanks with a slight nod before he slipped into the bathroom and closed the door with a second quiet thud. He completely ignored the odd sensations that seemed to be pulling on him and quickly turned the shower's water on full blast and up to a scorching heat. It was usually the only way Eric was able to feel heat for any length of time, to really soak it up.

The only thing better was being inside a woman…maybe inside _her_.

"Stop right there Northman." Eric spoke to himself heatedly, the heavy beating of water against tile drowning out his words to the human ear.

The _last_ thing he needed was to get involved with her in any sort of way.

Eric had convinced himself he'd gone to see her tonight in order to attain information about her previous life before moving to his area under the disguise of needing to know about the supernaturals in his jurisdiction. He needed to know about her past, about her family, and hopefully about her. As in, what the _hell_ she was. He didn't know all the facts, though he had his own guesses, so he had wanted more information from her. She hadn't given it willingly, only feeding him bits and pieces, but after she'd found her grandmother in a blood-red puddle, she had mentioned some things to him that seemed to point into the direction of a telepath, just as he suspected.

They were rare…_highly_ valuable.

She _needed_ to be claimed.

Inside he felt his inner protests about not getting involved with her, especially since her cousin seemed to belong to one gloriously arrogant vampire that made even _him_, Eric Northman, seem more charming.

"_It's just for her protection."_ He reasoned with himself mentally as the scalding water poured over his skin, turning it a slight shade of pink.

The inner-self he did possess but that usually was nowhere to be found considering his vampire nature, shook its fist and finger at him warningly. It would be trouble to claim her. If he was honest with himself, which he wasn't considering Eric thought he could handle _anything_, he knew better than to embark down that path. She was a temptation and one that was too great for even him to ignore for long.

Eric stood in the shower warring with himself until the sharp and familiar tug that alerted him to the approaching sunrise and the bone crushing need to go to ground pulled him from his thoughts. He shut the shower off and stepped into the steamy bathroom as he wrapped a towel around himself low on his hips. Wiping at the steam filled mirror, Eric gazed at himself and shook his head. The faint sound of a single splash alerted him to the lone drop of blood that stained red in a curling pattern against the stark white of the sink. He looked up quickly and narrowed his eyes.

The bleeds.

They were faint, barely beginning; only a single drop had eased from his nose. Still though, Eric needed to be more careful. He had been so immersed in his thoughts; he had misjudged the strength of the steady pull inside of him.

The sun had been up for at least half an hour.

"Knulla mig." Eric cursed, his native Swedish rising as it did most of the time when he was frustrated.

He quickly changed into a pair of black silk boxers, something he normally went without but had a feeling Annabelle wouldn't be all too receptive of without some convincing, convincing he _didn't_ have time for. Eric towel dried his hair quickly, the long and wet strands shaking out water droplets as he did. He tossed the towel with perfect precision into the basket before stepping out of the bathroom, filling the bedroom with a cloud of steam that hid him in a fog.

And he froze.

Annabelle was asleep, obviously passed out to the world, he could tell by the steady and slow heart beats that were evenly spaced with her slow and deep breaths. She was sprawled across the large expanse of the king-sized mattress and had obviously tried to stay awake, but had failed.

A small chuckle escaped the Viking's lips as he shook his head.

Eric approached the bed and lifted her smoothly in one easy motion, his eyes widening when he took in the obviousness of his scent on her from the black shirt she had chosen from his closet that now wrapped around her body loosely. His fangs descended some as he took in the sight of her body in his arms, her bare skin heating him where it was exposed by the lack of shorts on her legs. It took every ounce of self-control to simply lay her on the bed and spread the sheet over her instead of something else.

"Du kommer att vara den andra döden för mig." Eric muttered darkly though it was laced with humor.

Eric slid under the sheets on his side, the pull of the need for sleep in the sunlight driving him. He settled next to her, though without touching, and immediately stilled on his back. As his eyes fluttered closed and the magical sleep that was only that of vampires claimed him, Eric dimly felt warmth settle on his chest and side. He forced his eyes open, though in reality only was able to squint, to find an unconscious Annabelle curled against his side.

And he actually liked it.

* * *

**Translations:**

"Knulla mig."- Swedish, "Fuck me."

"Du kommer att vara den andra döden för mig."- Swedish, "You will be the second death of me."


End file.
